We often judge a company based on its sales and earnings. However, these metrics may not be sufficient on their own. A stock might get a boost if these figures rise year over year or surpass estimates in a particular quarter, offering a lucrative opportunity for short-term investors to cash in. Relying solely on sales and earnings numbers may not yield the desired long-term returns. For those seeking sustainable investment growth, a deeper dive into the company’s financial health and stability is essential.

A critical analysis of a company’s financial background is a prerequisite for an informed investment decision. Coverage ratios, which assess whether a company is robust enough to meet its financial obligations, play a crucial role in this analysis. A higher ratio generally indicates a stronger financial position. This article focuses on the Interest Coverage Ratio, a key indicator used to evaluate a company's ability to pay interest on its debt, ensuring that the company is not over-leveraged and can comfortably meet its interest obligations from its operating earnings.

Interest Coverage Ratio is equal to Earnings before Interest & Taxes (EBIT) divided by Interest Expense. Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN Quick QuoteAMZN - Free Report) , Stride, Inc. (LRN Quick QuoteLRN - Free Report) , Brinker International, Inc. (EAT Quick QuoteEAT - Free Report) and Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH Quick QuoteCAH - Free Report) have impressive interest coverage ratios.

Why Interest Coverage Ratio?

The interest coverage ratio is used to determine how effectively a company can pay the interest charges on its debt. 

Debt, which is crucial for most companies to finance operations, comes at a cost called interest. Interest expense has a direct bearing on a company's profitability, and its creditworthiness depends on how effectively it meets interest obligations. Therefore, the interest coverage ratio is one of the important criteria to factor in before making any investment decision. 

The interest coverage ratio suggests the number of times the interest could be paid from earnings and gauges the margin of safety a firm carries for paying interest.

An interest coverage ratio lower than 1.0 implies that the company is unable to fulfill its interest obligations and could default on repaying debt. A company that is capable of generating earnings well above its interest expense can withstand financial hardships. One should also track the company’s past performance to determine whether the interest coverage ratio has improved or worsened over time.

The Winning Strategy

Apart from having an Interest Coverage Ratio that is more than the industry average, adding a favorable Zacks Rank and a VGM Score of A or B to your search criteria should lead to better results.

Interest Coverage Ratio greater than X-Industry Median

Price greater than or equal to 5: The stocks must all be trading at a minimum of $5 or higher.

5-Year Historical EPS Growth (%) greater than X-Industry Median: Stocks that have a strong EPS growth history.

Projected EPS Growth (%) greater than X-Industry Median: This is the projected EPS growth over the next three to five years. This shows that the stock has near-term earnings growth potential. 

Average 20-Day Volume greater than 100,000: A substantial trading volume ensures that the stock is easily tradable.

Zacks Rank less than or equal to 2: Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) stocks are known to outperform irrespective of the market environment.

VGM Score of less than or equal to 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 are four of the 17 stocks that qualified the screening:

Amazon, a multinational technology company, carries a Zacks Rank #2 and has a VGM Score of B. AMZN has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 22.5%, on average. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Amazon’s current financial-year sales and EPS implies growth of 12% and 29.7%, respectively, from the year-ago period. The stock has risen 5.3% in the past year. 

Stride, a technology-based education company, carries a Zacks Rank #2 and has a VGM Score of B. LRN has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 12.1%, on average. 

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Stride’s current financial-year sales and EPS indicates growth of 4.6% and 3.1%, respectively, from the year-ago period. The stock has plummeted 38.8% in the past year. 

Brinker International, one of the leading casual dining restaurant companies, carries a Zacks Rank #2 and has a VGM Score of A. The company has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 18.7%, on average. 

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Brinker International’s current financial-year sales and EPS calls for growth of 6.5% and 14.9%, respectively, from the year-ago period. The stock has advanced 15.7% in the past year. 

Cardinal Health, a global healthcare company that distributes pharmaceuticals, manufactures and supplies medical and laboratory products, carries a Zacks Rank #2 and has a VGM Score of A. CAH has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 9.4%, on average. 

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Cardinal Health’s current financial-year sales and EPS indicates growth of 16.3% and 20%, respectively, from the year-ago period. The stock has soared 69.1% in the past year. 

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 backtest them first before taking the investment plunge.