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 Target
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 Target.
|
Factor |
What We Want to See |
Actual |
Pass or Fail? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Growth | 5-Year Annual Revenue Growth > 15% | 3.3% | Fail |
| 1-Year Revenue Growth > 12% | 3.7% | Fail | |
| Margins | Gross Margin > 35% | 30.9% | Fail |
| Net Margin > 15% | 4.2% | Fail | |
| Balance Sheet | Debt to Equity < 50% | 110.5% | Fail |
| Current Ratio > 1.3 | 1.15 | Fail | |
| Opportunities | Return on Equity > 15% | 18.7% | Pass |
| Valuation | Normalized P/E < 20 | 13.94 | Pass |
| Dividends | Current Yield > 2% | 2.1% | Pass |
| 5-Year Dividend Growth > 10% | 20.1% | Pass | |
| Total Score | 4 out of 10 |
Source: S&P Capital IQ. Total score = number of passes.
Since we looked at Target last year, the retailer has kept its four-point score. The company continues to try to distinguish itself from competition with a variety of smart moves.
Target may be a discount retailer, but one of its best strategies has been to launch exclusive collections from well-known designers. Last month, its Jason Wu launch resulted in sellouts in just hours, repeating the huge demand the company saw last year for its Missoni line. In addition, it's working with Apple
Another area where Target is reinventing itself is by adding groceries to its stores. Wal-Mart's
Still, Target continues to face the same challenges other big-box retailers have. Amazon.com
With razor-thin retail margins, Target will never achieve 10-point perfection. But with continuing attention to its image along with considerable dividend boosts, Target stands a good chance of making shareholders happy well into the future.
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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