Based on the aggregated intelligence of 150,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, car and truck rental company Avis Budget Group
With that in mind, let's take a closer look at Avis' business and see what CAPS investors are saying about the stock right now.
Avis facts
Headquarters (Founded) |
Parsippany, N.J. (1946) |
Market Cap |
$1.2 billion |
Industry |
Rental and leasing services |
Trailing-12-Month Revenue |
$5.2 billion |
Management |
CEO Ronald Nelson (since 2006) |
Trailing-12-Month Return on Equity |
(39.1%) |
Cash / Debt |
$470 million / $6.4 billion |
1-Year Return |
2,120% |
Competitors |
Dollar Thrifty Automotive |
CAPS Members Bearish on CAR Also Bearish on |
Simon Property Group |
CAPS Members Bullish on CAR Also Bullish on |
Citigroup |
Sources: Capital IQ (a division of Standard & Poor's) and Motley Fool CAPS.
On CAPS, 43% of the 396 members who have rated Avis believe the stock will underperform the S&P 500 going forward. These bears include wisesilverwolf and JackCaps.
Late last year, wisesilverwolf noted that stock was zooming at dangerously high speeds: "Stock price has gone bananas but they are still making a loss every year, and will continue to do so until they go pop."
In a pitch from last month, JackCaps also urged Fools to steer clear:
2007 and 2008 each had negative earnings of about $1B. 2009 is looking to be more like the prior two years.
[Avis'] recent stock price has been buoyed by the recent market run up and by being part of the transportation sector which often leads other sectors in a recovery. But for the long run, a stock's price is supported by the company's financial strength.
This CAR is a financial clunker.
What do you think about Avis, or any other stock for that matter? If you want to retire rich, you need to protect your portfolio from any undue risk. Staying away from dangerous stocks is crucial to securing your financial future. On Motley Fool CAPS, thousands of investors are working every day to flag them. CAPS is 100% free, so get started!