Here's a company that has clocked an impressive 11.3% jump in its first-quarter bottom line in spite of its inputs getting more and more expensive by the day.
Not only is specialty chemicals company RPM International's
Great performance
Higher volumes and prices drove RPM's revenues to $985.9 million, up 10.2 % from last year. Organic sales have grown by 9% in both its consumer and industrial segments. This is worth noting, Fools, since RPM has been on an aggressive acquisition spree lately -- and such organic figures exclude contributions made by acquisitions.
While volumes are growing, input costs continue to be a pain for RPM. But it's not the only company falling prey to escalating costs. Sherwin-Williams'
RPM, however, seems to be in a better standing than peers, as its gross margins slipped only marginally from 42% to 41.5% year over year. More important, the company managed to keep a good grip on its administration expenses, helping its net profits grow to $76.8 million from $69 million a year ago.
Growing, and how!
The pace at which RPM has been adding new companies to its portfolio is really impressive. The Ohio-based company has added four companies to its arsenal in the past four months.
What's interesting is how RPM is looking at growing its product lines. From an Italian flooring business to a water/fire-damage restoration and cleaning company to a fire protection and insulation products company, RPM has been investing in expanding its business aggressively. And the company is open to and keen on making more such investments in the future.
A challenge that looks manageable
You might have a hint as to what could be the most prominent challenge for RPM now. Yes, rocketing raw material costs. These have hit the coating and paints industry hard, forcing companies to pass the buck to consumers. So like its peers, RPM announced some price hikes in the last few months.
But with chemical companies (which make raw materials integral to coatings business) such as DuPont
Apart from an intelligent price-volume mix, what could come to RPM's rescue here is the positive accretion to sales expected from its newly acquired companies. Moreover, RPM has also been introducing new products, some of which are selling at very high rates. The situation is not looking too bad for RPM right now, which can be gauged by growing volumes and demand despite higher product prices. Looks like RPM should be able to scrape through without major wounds!
The Foolish bottom line
So, are you impressed by RPM's strong numbers and solid growth moves? There's more! The company has just raised its dividend, marking its 38th consecutive year of such an increase. Now with a handsome dividend yield of 4.2%, do you need any more reasons to place a bet on this stock?
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