We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
Here's Why You Should Keep Murphy USA (MUSA) in Your Portfolio
Read MoreHide Full Article
Murphy USA Inc.’s (MUSA - Free Report) business model, well-equipped with volume growth and affordability, bodes well. However, its high debt load is bothersome. The company has seen northward estimate revisions for 2021 earnings in the past 60 days.
The company currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) and a VGM Score of A. Our research shows that stocks with a VGM Score of A or B combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) 2 (Buy) or 3 offer the best investment opportunities. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
This leading independent retailer of motor fuel and convenience merchandise in the United States has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 12.93%, on average.
Courtesy of its solid prospects, the stock is worth holding on to at the moment.
What’s Favoring the Stock?
A glance at the company’s price trend shows that the stock has had an impressive run on the bourses in the past two years. Shares of Murphy USA have gained 54.5% against the 8.7% decline of its industry.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Murphy USA’s unique high-volume, low-cost business model helps it retain solid profitability despite a fiercely competitive retail environment. The company, which sells more than 4 billion gallons of retail fuel annually, owns above 90% of its gasoline stations. This enables it to contain its operating expenses. The proximity of Murphy USA’s fuel stations to Walmart (WMT - Free Report) supercenters aids the company to gain traction from the consistent traffic that these stores attract, thereby driving its above-average fuel sales volume.
The company’s outsourcing of raw materials is another key catalyst. With access to pipelines and product distribution terminals, Murphy USA is able to avail of fuel at a cheaper cost than most can buy. This, in turn, allows the company to sell retail gasoline at a discount.
Through its shareholder-friendly capital allocations, Murphy USA is committed to return a portion of its free cash flow to its shareholders through continued and ongoing share repurchases. As a proof, the company spent 48% of its capital budget from 2015 to 2019 on stock buybacks.
The company is currently building up to 50 new larger-format stores, annually, starting this year and 25 raze-and-rebuilds in the same period. The motor fuel retailer added that it is open to grow inorganically as well.
Management believes that the company’s strong operational performance and positive trends will allow its stock to achieve a sustainable EBITDA of more than $500 million in 2021, two years earlier than expected.
Factors Deterring the Stock’s Growth
However, there are a few factors which might impede the stock’s progress.
Being in the convenience store business, Murphy USA is highly dependent on tobacco sales. With smoking rates falling, the company’s tobacco comps face persistent pressure. The tepid tobacco sales not only affect its top-line performance but also limit margin growth.
Moreover, Murphy USA's high-debt levels remain a concern, which make it vulnerable to any volatility in commodity prices. Its total debt is currently more than $1.8 billion with only $304.1million in cash & cash equivalents. Importantly, the company's debt-to-capitalization as of the end of first-quarter 2021 was 69.9%, deteriorating from the sequential quarter's 56.1%.
Stocks to Consider
Better-ranked players in the energy space include SilverBow Resources Inc. (SBOW - Free Report) and Oasis Petroleum Inc. , each presently sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
Breakout Biotech Stocks with Triple-Digit Profit Potential
The biotech sector is projected to surge beyond $775 billion by 2024 as scientists develop treatments for thousands of diseases. They’re also finding ways to edit the human genome to literally erase our vulnerability to these diseases.
Zacks has just released Century of Biology: 7 Biotech Stocks to Buy Right Now to help investors profit from 7 stocks poised for outperformance. Our recent biotech recommendations have produced gains of +50%, +83% and +164% in as little as 2 months. The stocks in this report could perform even better.
Image: Bigstock
Here's Why You Should Keep Murphy USA (MUSA) in Your Portfolio
Murphy USA Inc.’s (MUSA - Free Report) business model, well-equipped with volume growth and affordability, bodes well. However, its high debt load is bothersome. The company has seen northward estimate revisions for 2021 earnings in the past 60 days.
The company currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) and a VGM Score of A. Our research shows that stocks with a VGM Score of A or B combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) 2 (Buy) or 3 offer the best investment opportunities. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
This leading independent retailer of motor fuel and convenience merchandise in the United States has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 12.93%, on average.
Courtesy of its solid prospects, the stock is worth holding on to at the moment.
What’s Favoring the Stock?
A glance at the company’s price trend shows that the stock has had an impressive run on the bourses in the past two years. Shares of Murphy USA have gained 54.5% against the 8.7% decline of its industry.
Murphy USA’s unique high-volume, low-cost business model helps it retain solid profitability despite a fiercely competitive retail environment. The company, which sells more than 4 billion gallons of retail fuel annually, owns above 90% of its gasoline stations. This enables it to contain its operating expenses. The proximity of Murphy USA’s fuel stations to Walmart (WMT - Free Report) supercenters aids the company to gain traction from the consistent traffic that these stores attract, thereby driving its above-average fuel sales volume.
The company’s outsourcing of raw materials is another key catalyst. With access to pipelines and product distribution terminals, Murphy USA is able to avail of fuel at a cheaper cost than most can buy. This, in turn, allows the company to sell retail gasoline at a discount.
Through its shareholder-friendly capital allocations, Murphy USA is committed to return a portion of its free cash flow to its shareholders through continued and ongoing share repurchases. As a proof, the company spent 48% of its capital budget from 2015 to 2019 on stock buybacks.
The company is currently building up to 50 new larger-format stores, annually, starting this year and 25 raze-and-rebuilds in the same period. The motor fuel retailer added that it is open to grow inorganically as well.
Management believes that the company’s strong operational performance and positive trends will allow its stock to achieve a sustainable EBITDA of more than $500 million in 2021, two years earlier than expected.
Factors Deterring the Stock’s Growth
However, there are a few factors which might impede the stock’s progress.
Being in the convenience store business, Murphy USA is highly dependent on tobacco sales. With smoking rates falling, the company’s tobacco comps face persistent pressure. The tepid tobacco sales not only affect its top-line performance but also limit margin growth.
Moreover, Murphy USA's high-debt levels remain a concern, which make it vulnerable to any volatility in commodity prices. Its total debt is currently more than $1.8 billion with only $304.1million in cash & cash equivalents. Importantly, the company's debt-to-capitalization as of the end of first-quarter 2021 was 69.9%, deteriorating from the sequential quarter's 56.1%.
Stocks to Consider
Better-ranked players in the energy space include SilverBow Resources Inc. (SBOW - Free Report) and Oasis Petroleum Inc. , each presently sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
Breakout Biotech Stocks with Triple-Digit Profit Potential
The biotech sector is projected to surge beyond $775 billion by 2024 as scientists develop treatments for thousands of diseases. They’re also finding ways to edit the human genome to literally erase our vulnerability to these diseases.
Zacks has just released Century of Biology: 7 Biotech Stocks to Buy Right Now to help investors profit from 7 stocks poised for outperformance. Our recent biotech recommendations have produced gains of +50%, +83% and +164% in as little as 2 months. The stocks in this report could perform even better.
See these 7 breakthrough stocks now>>