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 CR Bard
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 CR Bard.
| Factor | What We Want to See | Actual | Pass or Fail? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Growth | 5-Year Annual Revenue Growth > 15% | 9% | Fail |
| 1-Year Revenue Growth > 12% | 7.3% | Fail | |
| Margins | Gross Margin > 35% | 62.5% | Pass |
| Net Margin > 15% | 18.7% | Pass | |
| Balance Sheet | Debt to Equity < 50% | 59.9% | Fail |
| Current Ratio > 1.3 | 3.85 | Pass | |
| Opportunities | Return on Equity > 15% | 26.6% | Pass |
| Valuation | Normalized P/E < 20 | 19.07 | Pass |
| Dividends | Current Yield > 2% | 0.8% | Fail |
| 5-Year Dividend Growth > 10% | 7% | Fail | |
| Total Score | 5 out of 10 |
Source: Capital IQ, a division of Standard and Poor's. Total score = number of passes.
CR Bard scores a mid-range 5. The medical-device maker isn't the most exciting company in the world, but it puts up solid numbers that some investors might like.
Bard focuses on four medical areas: vascular, urology, cancer treatment, and surgical specialty devices. Its stents and catheters help keep blood vessels and the urinary tract open. Because many of its products are disposable, Bard gets a repeating revenue stream as patients need new supplies.
From a financial standpoint, Bard does fairly well in its industry. It has faster growth figures than Boston Scientific
Despite its strength within its industry, Bard hasn't seen stellar growth. If the economic recovery, along with favorable demographics, boosts Bard's growth in the future, it may soon look more like a perfect stock. With valuations fairly rich and a low dividend payout right now, you may prefer just to keep Bard on your watchlist for now.
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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