The increased attention given to law enforcement agencies around the world in the last few years has brought about a lot of growth for TASER International, Inc. (TASR +0.10%) and its Taser and body camera business. While Taser sales are a majority of the business, body cameras have been a huge driver of growth and will start driving financial results in coming years. Here are three charts that show where TASER International stands today.
Image source: TASER International.
The growth company in law enforcement
Adoption of Tasers and body cameras has driven growth for TASER International over the last five years. What's interesting is that its revenue has outgrown that of gun manufacturers Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. and Sturm, Ruger & Company Inc. over this time as well. And this has been in a political environment (multiple mass shootings and the threat of increased gun regulations) that's been ideal for growth in gun sales.
TASR revenue (TTM) data by YCharts.
The fact that TASER International has been able to put up these growth numbers is great for investors.
Margin expansion continues
Growth is great, but it's even better when combined with expanding margins, and that's exactly what's taking place at TASER International, as you can see below.
TASR gross profit margin (TTM) data by YCharts.
The good news is that the trend will likely continue. Axon body camera sales usually come with multiyear subscriptions to Evidence.com, the company's cloud service for law enforcement agencies. There's $302 million in future contracted revenue on the books, and last quarter Axon service margins were 81%. That's going to drive margin growth higher in the future, which will be great for the bottom line.
A balance sheet for risk-averse investors
TASER International generally has a very light balance sheet, but that means it doesn't need to carry debt that can weigh down a company. You can see below that a slow and steady rise in cash on the balance sheet is accompanied by a debt load that's incredibly small.
TASR total long-term debt (quarterly) data by YCharts.
This gives management a lot of flexibility in funding growth or even choosing to pay a dividend in the future. Not having to worry about debt is a huge advantage for any company, especially one that's growing profitably and increasing margins.
TASER International is a well-positioned company riding a wave of public interest in body camera video and less lethal weapons, a trend that will likely continue for years to come. And these charts show just how well the business is performing for investors today.
