Every investor would love to stumble upon the perfect stock. But will you ever really find a stock that provides everything you could possibly want?
One thing's for sure: You'll never discover truly great investments unless you actively look for them. Let's discuss the ideal qualities of a perfect stock, then decide if Norfolk Southern
The quest for perfection
Stocks that look great based on one factor may prove horrible elsewhere, making due diligence a crucial part of your investing research. The best stocks excel in many different areas, including these important factors:
- Growth. Expanding businesses show healthy revenue growth. While past growth is no guarantee that revenue will keep rising, it's certainly a better sign than a stagnant top line.
- Margins. Higher sales mean nothing if a company can't produce profits from them. Strong margins ensure that company can turn revenue into profit.
- Balance sheet. At debt-laden companies, banks and bondholders compete with shareholders for management's attention. Companies with strong balance sheets don't have to worry about the distraction of debt.
- Money-making opportunities. Return on equity helps measure how well a company is finding opportunities to turn its resources into profitable business endeavors.
- Valuation. You can't afford to pay too much for even the best companies. By using normalized figures, you can see how a stock's simple earnings multiple fits into a longer-term context.
- Dividends. For tangible proof of profits, a check to shareholders every three months can't be beat. Companies with solid dividends and strong commitments to increasing payouts treat shareholders well.
With those factors in mind, let's take a closer look at Norfolk Southern.
|
Factor |
What We Want to See |
Actual |
Pass or Fail? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Growth | 5-Year Annual Revenue Growth > 15% | 2.2% | Fail |
| 1-Year Revenue Growth > 12% | 19.8% | Pass | |
| Margins | Gross Margin > 35% | 35.8% | Pass |
| Net Margin > 15% | 15.8% | Pass | |
| Balance Sheet | Debt to Equity < 50% | 63.7% | Fail |
| Current Ratio > 1.3 | 1.17 | Fail | |
| Opportunities | Return on Equity > 15% | 14.8% | Fail |
| Valuation | Normalized P/E < 20 | 18.44 | Pass |
| Dividends | Current Yield > 2% | 2.1% | Pass |
| 5-Year Dividend Growth > 10% | 22.5% | Pass | |
| Total Score | 6 out of 10 |
Source: Capital IQ, a division of Standard and Poor's. Total score = number of passes.
With six points, Norfolk Southern is giving investors a pretty smooth ride. The economic recovery has helped the railroad industry, and with energy prices on the rise, efficiencies from rail transportation have come back into vogue.
Few sectors are more dependent on the health of the global economy than transportation stocks, and railroads in particular rely on strong levels of long-distance commerce. Despite what many see as a sluggish recovery, both Norfolk Southern and rivals CSX
But Norfolk Southern doesn't just have coal to thank for its rebound. As the primary railroad hauler for FedEx, Norfolk Southern saw strong performance for its intermodal freight network as well. That strength has come largely from so-called "truckload diversions," as shippers have switched from road-based transportation to trains. That's bad news for trucking companies YRC Worldwide
Norfolk Southern shares aren't as cheap as they were a year or two ago, but they're still reasonably priced and carry a decent dividend. If the recovery continues at this pace, then the railroad could chug its way even closer to perfection in the future.
Keep searching
No stock is a sure thing, but some stocks are a lot closer to perfect than others. By looking for the perfect stock, you'll go a long way toward improving your investing prowess and learning how to separate out the best investments from the rest.
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