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 3M
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 3M.
|
Factor |
What We Want to See |
Actual |
Pass or Fail? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Growth | 5-Year Annual Revenue Growth > 15% | 5.1% | Fail |
| 1-Year Revenue Growth > 12% | 7.8% | Fail | |
| Margins | Gross Margin > 35% | 47.0% | Pass |
| Net Margin > 15% | 14.5% | Fail | |
| Balance Sheet | Debt to Equity < 50% | 31.1% | Pass |
| Current Ratio > 1.3 | 2.38 | Pass | |
| Opportunities | Return on Equity > 15% | 26.2% | Pass |
| Valuation | Normalized P/E < 20 | 15.48 | Pass |
| Dividends | Current Yield > 2% | 2.9% | Pass |
| 5-Year Dividend Growth > 10% | 3.8% | Fail | |
| Total Score | 6 out of 10 |
Source: S&P Capital IQ. Total score = number of passes.
Since we looked at 3M last year, the company's score has dropped a couple of points. Flagging revenue growth and a reduction in net margins were responsible for the point losses, and the stock's price has dropped slightly in the past year.
Many investors who think of 3M mainly for its office products division are surprised to discover the true scope of its business. The company is responsible for making more than 50,000 products used by customers in a wide range of industries, including health care, construction, and transportation as well as its popular consumer goods. As a result, 3M is more directly comparable to General Electric
Recent new initiatives highlight just how important business diversification is to 3M. The company is trying to help transform fuel infrastructure by working with Chesapeake Energy
Still, office products represent an important part of 3M's business, which is why it recently bought the office and consumer products division of rival Avery Dennison
3M's dividends are its greatest sign of its long-term success. With more than a half-century of rising annual dividends under its belt, 3M has weathered past storms in its business quite well.
For 3M to start moving in the right direction again, it needs to capitalize on growth opportunities and get margins back up to their previous levels. That's a tall order in a slowing global economy, but 3M has risen to the challenge before and could well do so again.
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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