On Thursday, Patterson Companies
- Despite strong sales, net profit declined year over year on slimmer margins across the board.
- On the other hand, free cash flow increased nicely, and now outpaces earnings -- something a Fool always likes to see.
- The company, a dental and veterinary supply distributor, is paying down debt while keeping tight reins on share dilution, another couple of shareholder-friendly things to do.
(Figures in millions, except per-share data)
Income Statement Highlights
Avg. Est. |
Q1 2007 |
Q1 2006 |
Change |
|
---|---|---|---|---|
Sales |
$653 |
$655 |
$596 |
10% |
Net Profit |
-- |
$42 |
$43 |
(3%) |
EPS |
$0.32 |
$0.30 |
$0.31 |
(3.2%) |
Diluted Shares |
139 |
139 |
0% |
Get back to basics with a look at the income statement.
Margin Checkup
Q1 2007 |
Q1 2006 |
Change* |
|
---|---|---|---|
Gross Margin |
33.93% |
34.78% |
(0.85) |
Operating Margin |
10.46% |
11.67% |
(1.21) |
Net Margin |
6.35% |
7.20% |
(0.85) |
*Expressed in percentage points.
Margins are the earnings engine. See how they work.
Balance Sheet Highlights
Assets |
Q1 2007 |
Q1 2006 |
Change |
---|---|---|---|
Cash + ST Invest. |
$265 |
$155 |
70.9% |
Accounts Rec. |
$328 |
$306 |
7.2% |
Inventory |
$262 |
$226 |
16% |
Liabilities |
Q1 2007 |
Q1 2006 |
Change |
---|---|---|---|
Accounts Payable |
$154 |
$148 |
4.4% |
Long-Term Debt |
$205 |
$297 |
(30.9%) |
Learn the ways of the balance sheet.
Cash Flow Highlights
Q1 2007 |
Q1 2006 |
Change |
|
---|---|---|---|
Cash From Ops. |
$53 |
$29 |
80.1% |
Capital Expenditures |
$7 |
$16 |
(59.1%) |
Free Cash Flow |
$46 |
$13 |
256% |
Find out why Fools always follow the money.
Related companies:
-
Henry Schein
(NASDAQ:HSIC) -
MWI Veterinary Supply
(NASDAQ:MWIV) -
IDEXX Laboratories
(NASDAQ:IDXX) -
Dentsply International
(NASDAQ:XRAY) -
PSS World Medical
(NASDAQ:PSSI) -
Owens & Minor
(NYSE:OMI)
Get all the inside information you need in our collection of investing newsletters . From wallflowerish small caps to swashbuckling Rule Breakers, we've got something for every investor. Get in on the action today; all of our newsletters offer a 30-day risk-free trial. All you have to lose is the prospect of better returns.
Fool by Numbers is designed to give you the raw earnings information in a timely fashion, putting all the numbers you need in one easy-to-read place. But at The Motley Fool, we believe numbers tell only part of the story, so check Fool.com for more of our in-depth discussion of what the numbers mean.
At the time of publication, Fool contributor Anders Bylund had positions in none of the companies discussed today. Fool rules are here .