If you own shares of oven maker and Motley Fool Hidden Gems recommendation Middleby
I'm here to tell you that yes, it was bad -- but no, it wasn't that bad. Not by half:
- Sales slipped nearly 9% in the fiscal second quarter, to $158.6 million.
- Profits took even more of a beating, dropping 25% to $0.74 per share.
- And as you can guess, profit margins declined as well. So far this year, the company's running on a 17% operating margin, so a full 170 basis points lower than last year.
Yet that 17% operating margin beats out rival restaurant equipment maker Illinois Tool Works
Perhaps the most astounding factoid contained in Middleby's report: Since acquiring TurboChef, Middleby hasn't just turned around its historically unprofitable rival, but boosted operating margin there to nearly 20%! We've come a long way from fears that TurboChef would drag down profits at Middleby. With things looking less bleak at Starbucks
Self-cleaning debt oven
Last but not least, Middleby tackled my main reservation about the stock -- its rapid buildup of debt post-TurboChef. Despite spending $11.4 million on two acquisitions in Q2, Middleby knocked $25 million off its debt load last quarter, dropping it to $321 million. And here's where Middleby's prodigious prowess in generating cash comes into play. Free cash flow for the past 12 months amounts to nearly $84 million. Were it to cease acquiring competitors, and focus exclusively on debt elimination, Middleby could pay off its debt in relatively short order.
But is the price right?
Fools know that valuation matters. Right now, Middleby's stock sells for a near 13 P/E. Factor in the debt, and its enterprise value comes to about 15.5 times free cash flow. Relative to Wall Street predictions of 16% long-term growth, the stock looks attractively priced. Based on my usual metrics for picking investments, I'd be a buyer here.
Just how hot is Middleby? Read on and find out: