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 Morgan Stanley
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 Morgan Stanley.
Factor |
What We Want to See |
Actual |
Pass or Fail? |
---|---|---|---|
Growth | 5-Year Annual Revenue Growth > 15% | (0.2%) | Fail |
1-Year Revenue Growth > 12% | (5.1%) | Fail | |
Margins | Gross Margin > 35% | 88.1% | Pass |
Net Margin > 15% | 8.3% | Fail | |
Balance Sheet | Debt to Equity < 50% | 528.5% | Fail |
Current Ratio > 1.3 | 1.60 | Pass | |
Opportunities | Return on Equity > 15% | 4.3% | Fail |
Valuation | Normalized P/E < 20 | 9.78 | Pass |
Dividends | Current Yield > 2% | 1.4% | Fail |
5-Year Dividend Growth > 10% | (28.6%) | Fail | |
Total Score | 3 out of 10 |
Source: S&P Capital IQ. Total score = number of passes.
Since we looked at Morgan Stanley last year, the company hasn't improved on its three-point score. The stock has been stuck in the doldrums, though, with a 15% drop over the past year.
Morgan Stanley has been squarely in the limelight lately, and not in a good way. As lead underwriter for the Facebook
Fallout from the Facebook debacle could severely hurt Morgan Stanley's future. In 2011, the company led all IPO underwriters with nearly $10 billion in proceeds, beating out Bank of America
Moreover, brokers are facing a tough environment right now. The rate environment has led to lower investment income, which has hurt both Goldman and E*TRADE Financial
For Morgan Stanley to improve, it needs to get past the Facebook troubles and re-establish itself as a major Wall Street player. If it can do that, then its relatively cheap valuation gives the stock plenty of room to run.
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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