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4 Stocks With Solid Net Profit Margin to Build a Robust Portfolio

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Investors prefer to put their money in businesses that reap profits on a regular basis. In order to gauge the extent of profits, there is no better metric than net profit margin.

A higher net margin reflects a company’s efficiency in converting sales into actual profits. Willdan Group, Inc. (WLDN - Free Report) , EZCORP, Inc. (EZPW - Free Report) , Modine Manufacturing Company (MOD - Free Report) and Huron Consulting Group Inc. (HURN - Free Report) boast solid net profit margins.

Net Profit Margin = Net profit/Sales * 100.

In simple terms, net profit is the amount a company retains after deducting all costs, interest, depreciation, taxes and other expenses. In fact, the net profit margin can turn out to be a potent point of reference to gauge the strength of a company’s operations and its cost-control measures.

Also, higher net profit is essential for rewarding stakeholders. Further, strength in the metric not only attracts investors but also draws well-skilled employees who eventually enhance a business's value.

Moreover, a higher net profit margin compared with its peers provides the company with a competitive edge.

Pros and Cons

Net profit margin helps investors gain clarity on a company’s business model in terms of pricing policy, cost structure and manufacturing efficiency. Hence, a strong net profit margin is preferred by all classes of investors.

However, net profit margin as an investment criterion has its share of pitfalls. The metric varies widely from industry to industry. While net income is a key metric for investment measurement in traditional industries, it is not that important for technology companies.

In addition, the difference in accounting treatment of various items — especially non-cash expenses like depreciation and stock-based compensation — makes comparison a daunting task.

Furthermore, for companies preferring to grow with debt instead of equity funding, higher interest expenses usually weigh on net profit. In such cases, the measure is rendered ineffective while analyzing a company’s performance.

The Winning Strategy

A healthy net profit margin and solid EPS growth are the two most sought-after elements in a business model.

Apart from these, we have added a few criteria to ensure maximum returns from this strategy.

Screening Parameters

Net Margin 12 months – Most Recent (%) greater than equal to 0: High net profit margin indicates solid profitability.

Percentage Change in EPS F(0)/(F-1) greater than equal to 0: It indicates earnings growth.

Average Broker Rating (1-5) equal to 1: A rating of #1 indicates brokers’ extreme bullishness on the stock.

Zacks Rank less than or equal to 2: Stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) generally perform better than their peers in all types of market environments. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

VGM Score of A or B: Our research shows that stocks with a VGM Score of A or B, when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 or 2, offer the best upside potential.

Here we discuss our four picks from the 21 stocks that qualified the screening:

Willdan Group is a provider of professional technical and consulting services to utilities, private industry, and public agencies at all levels of government. The stock sports a Zacks Rank #1 and has a VGM Score of B.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Willdan Group’s 2024 earnings has moved 19.9% north in the past 30 days and currently stands at $1.81 per share. Willdan Group surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate thrice in the trailing four quarters while matching the same on one occasion, the average surprise being 886.3%.

EZCORP is engaged in establishing, acquiring and operating pawnshops that function as convenient sources of consumer credit and as value-oriented specialty retailers of primarily previously owned merchandise. The stock sports a Zacks Rank of 1 at present and has a VGM Score of B.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for EZCORP’s fiscal 2024 earnings has been revised upward by 12.9% to $1.05 per share in the past 60 days. EZCORP surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 27.7%.

Modine Manufacturing operates primarily in a single industry consisting of the manufacture and sale of heat transfer equipment. These include heat exchangers for cooling all types of engines, transmissions, auxiliary hydraulic equipment, air conditioning components used in cars, trucks, farm and construction machinery and equipment, and heating and cooling equipment for residential and commercial building heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration equipment. The stock carries a Zacks Rank of 1 at present and has a VGM Score of B.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.27 per share for Modine Manufacturing’s fiscal 2024 earnings has moved a penny north in the past 30 days. MOD surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 51.5%.

Huron Consulting Group is the parent company of Huron Consulting Services LLC, an independent provider of financial and operational consulting services. The stock carries a Zacks Rank #2 and has a VGM Score of A.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.64 per share for Huron Consulting Group’s 2024 earnings has been revised upward by a penny over the past 30 days. HURN surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 25.9%.

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Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material.

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

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