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 Fifth Street Finance
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 Fifth Street Finance.
Factor |
What We Want to See |
Actual |
Pass or Fail? |
---|---|---|---|
Growth | 5-Year Annual Revenue Growth > 15% | 95.7% | Pass |
1-Year Revenue Growth > 12% | 60.6% | Pass | |
Margins | Gross Margin > 35% | 100.0% | Pass |
Net Margin > 15% | 18.0% | Pass | |
Balance Sheet | Debt to Equity < 50% | 44.4% | Pass |
Current Ratio > 1.3 | 6.60 | Pass | |
Opportunities | Return on Equity > 15% | 3.6% | Fail |
Valuation | Normalized P/E < 20 | 16.52 | Pass |
Dividends | Current Yield > 2% | 12.0% | Pass |
5-Year Dividend Growth > 10% | (1.8%)* | Fail | |
Total Score | 8 out of 10 |
Source: S&P Capital IQ. Total score = number of passes. *Four-year growth rate.
Since we looked at Fifth Street Finance last year, the company has picked up a point. But shares haven't been as fortunate, falling nearly 20% as investors dealt with a dividend cut and concerns about the future.
Fifth Street Finance is a business development company, a tax-favored corporate structure that has gained a lot of popularity in recent years because they tend to provide high dividend payouts. But while many BDCs share similar traits, they aren't exactly alike. Apollo Investment
But concerns about Fifth Street's ability to maintain its dividend have been around for a while. When 2012 began, the company dropped its monthly payout by about 10%, and shares have traded in a pretty tight range ever since.
Fifth Street has thus far been able to avoid one controversial practice that some BDCs use. Prospect Capital, Ares Capital
For Fifth Street to improve, the real key is making sure that it can continue to pay its lucrative dividends. Anything that jeopardizes those payouts could send Fifth Street plummeting away from perfection.
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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