Companies with favorable efficiency levels are likely to be on investors’ radar irrespective of market conditions. This is because efficiency is the ability to transform inputs into outputs, which is a potential indicator of a company’s financial health.

 

Moreover, a company with a favorable efficiency level is expected to provide impressive returns as it is believed to be positively correlated with its price performance. 

 

We have, thus, considered four popular ratios in order to find efficient companies that have the potential to provide impressive returns.

 

Operating Margin: This efficiency measure is the ratio of operating income over the past 12 months to sales over the same period. It measures a company’s ability to control operating expenses. Hence, a high value of the ratio may indicate that the company manages its operating expenses more efficiently than its peers.

 

Asset Utilization: This ratio indicates a company’s capability to convert assets into output and is thus a widely known measure of efficiency level. It is calculated by dividing total sales over the past 12 months by the last four-quarter average of total assets. Like the above ratios, high asset utilization may indicate that a company is efficient.

 

Inventory Turnover: The ratio of 12-month cost of goods sold (COGS) to a four-quarter average inventory is considered one of the most popular efficiency ratios. It indicates a company’s ability to maintain a suitable inventory position. While a high value indicates that the company has a relatively low level of inventory compared to COGS, a low value indicates that the company is facing declining sales, which resulted in excess inventory.

 

Receivables Turnover:  This is the ratio of 12-month sales to four-quarter average receivables. It shows a company’s potential to extend its credit and collect debt in terms of that credit. A high receivables turnover ratio or the “accounts receivable turnover ratio” or “debtor’s turnover ratio” is desirable as it shows that the company is capable of collecting its accounts receivables or that it has quality customers.

In addition to the above-mentioned ratios, we have added a favorable Zacks Rank — Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) — to the screen with an objective to make this strategy more profitable. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

 

Operating Margin, Asset Utilization, Inventory Turnover and Receivables Turnover greater than industry average.

 

(Values of these ratios higher than industry averages may indicate that the efficiency level of the company is higher than its peers.)   

 

The use of these few criteria narrowed down the universe of over 7,906 stocks to 20.

 

Here are the top four stocks that made it through the screen:

 

Crocs, Inc. (CROX Quick QuoteCROX - Free Report) is a world leader in innovative casual footwear for men, women and children. It has an average four-quarter earnings surprise of 191.8%.

 

Vera Bradley, Inc. (VRA Quick QuoteVRA - Free Report) is a designer, producer, marketer and retailer of accessories for women. It has an average four-quarter earnings surprise of 93.4%.

 

Coeur Mining, Inc. (CDE Quick QuoteCDE - Free Report) operates as a primary silver and gold producer with precious metals mines in the Americas. It has an average four-quarter earnings surprise of 86.1%.

 

Lakeland Industries, Inc. (LAKE Quick QuoteLAKE - Free Report) manufactures and sells industrial protective clothing and accessories for the industrial and public protective clothing market worldwide. It has an average four-quarter earnings surprise of 263.7%.

 

You can get the rest of the stocks on this list by signing up now for your 2-week free trial to the Research Wizard and start using this screen in your own trading. Further, you can also create your own strategies and test them first before taking the investment plunge.

 

The Research Wizard is a great place to begin. It's easy to use. Everything is in plain language. And it's very intuitive. Start your Research Wizard trial today. And the next time you read an economic report, open up the Research Wizard, plug your finds in, and see what gems come out.

 

Click here to sign up for a free trial to the Research Wizard today.

 

 

Disclosure: Performance information for Zacks’ portfolios and strategies are available at: https://www.zacks.com/performance