Latest news with #ErhardMettler
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
1 Unpopular Stock that Deserves a Second Chance and 2 to Be Wary Of
When Wall Street turns bearish on a stock, it's worth paying attention. These calls stand out because analysts rarely issue grim ratings on companies for fear their firms will lose out in other business lines such as M&A advisory. Whatever the consensus opinion may be, our team at StockStory cuts through the noise by conducting independent analysis to determine a company's long-term prospects. That said, here is one stock poised to prove Wall Street wrong and two where the skepticism is well-placed. Consensus Price Target: $5.33 (-2.3% implied return) Started in 1998 as a platform to broadcast press conferences, ON24's (NYSE:ONTF) software helps organizations organize online webinars and other virtual events and convert prospects into customers. Why Do We Pass on ONTF? Offerings couldn't generate interest over the last year as its billings have averaged 3.3% declines Sales are expected to decline once again over the next 12 months as it continues working through a challenging demand environment Extended payback periods on sales investments suggest the company's platform isn't resonating enough to drive efficient sales conversions ON24's stock price of $5.46 implies a valuation ratio of 1.7x forward price-to-sales. To fully understand why you should be careful with ONTF, check out our full research report (it's free). Consensus Price Target: $1,245 (9.6% implied return) With roots dating back to the precision balance innovations of Swiss engineer Erhard Mettler, Mettler-Toledo (NYSE:MTD) manufactures precision weighing instruments, analytical equipment, and product inspection systems used in laboratories, industrial settings, and food retail. Why Are We Cautious About MTD? Core business is underperforming as its organic revenue has disappointed over the past two years, suggesting it might need acquisitions to stimulate growth Anticipated sales growth of 3.4% for the next year implies demand will be shaky Static adjusted operating margin over the last two years shows it couldn't become more efficient At $1,136 per share, Mettler-Toledo trades at 26.1x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than MTD. Consensus Price Target: $1,054 (3.4% implied return) Designed to be a one-stop shop for the suburban consumer, Costco (NASDAQ:COST) is a membership-only retail chain that sells groceries, apparel, toys, and household items, often in bulk quantities. Why Is COST a Top Pick? Locations open for at least a year are seeing increased demand as same-store sales have averaged 4.4% growth over the past two years Enormous revenue base of $264.1 billion compensates for its low gross margin and provides significant leverage in supplier negotiations ROIC punches in at 33.5%, illustrating management's expertise in identifying profitable investments Costco is trading at $1,020 per share, or 53.5x forward P/E. Is now a good time to buy? See for yourself in our full research report, it's free. Market indices reached historic highs following Donald Trump's presidential victory in November 2024, but the outlook for 2025 is clouded by new trade policies that could impact business confidence and growth. While this has caused many investors to adopt a "fearful" wait-and-see approach, we're leaning into our best ideas that can grow regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate. Take advantage of Mr. Market by checking out our Top 6 Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 176% over the last five years. Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-micro-cap company Tecnoglass (+1,754% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
2 Cash-Producing Stocks Worth Your Attention and 1 to Ignore
A company that generates cash isn't automatically a winner. Some businesses stockpile cash but fail to reinvest wisely, limiting their ability to expand. Cash flow is valuable, but it's not everything - StockStory helps you identify the companies that truly put it to work. Keeping that in mind, here are two cash-producing companies that reinvest wisely to drive long-term success and one that may struggle to keep up. Trailing 12-Month Free Cash Flow Margin: 22.7% With roots dating back to the precision balance innovations of Swiss engineer Erhard Mettler, Mettler-Toledo (NYSE:MTD) manufactures precision weighing instruments, analytical equipment, and product inspection systems used in laboratories, industrial settings, and food retail. Why Are We Cautious About MTD? Absence of organic revenue growth over the past two years suggests it may have to lean into acquisitions to drive its expansion Projected sales growth of 3.4% for the next 12 months suggests sluggish demand Static adjusted operating margin over the last two years shows it couldn't become more efficient Mettler-Toledo is trading at $1,100 per share, or 25.3x forward P/E. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including MTD in your portfolio, it's free. Trailing 12-Month Free Cash Flow Margin: 20.9% Started by René Lacerte in 2006 after selling his previous payroll and accounting software company PayCycle to Intuit, (NYSE:BILL) is a software as a service platform that aims to make payments and billing processes easier for small and medium-sized businesses. Why Could BILL Be a Winner? Winning new contracts that can potentially increase in value as its billings growth has averaged 17.6% over the last year Prominent and differentiated software culminates in a best-in-class gross margin of 85.1% Operating margin improvement of 12.7 percentage points over the last year demonstrates its ability to scale efficiently stock price of $46.99 implies a valuation ratio of 3.1x forward price-to-sales. Is now the time to initiate a position? Find out in our full research report, it's free. Trailing 12-Month Free Cash Flow Margin: 4.1% Started as a mail-order tractor parts business, Tractor Supply (NASDAQ:TSCO) is a retailer of general goods such as agricultural supplies, hardware, and pet food for the rural consumer. Why Are We Positive On TSCO? Aggressive expansion of new stores reflects an offensive push to quickly grow and sell in markets where it has few or no locations Forecasted revenue growth of 5.6% for the next 12 months indicates its momentum over the last six years is sustainable Industry-leading 35.2% return on capital demonstrates management's skill in finding high-return investments At $50.49 per share, Tractor Supply trades at 23x forward P/E. Is now a good time to buy? See for yourself in our full research report, it's free. The market surged in 2024 and reached record highs after Donald Trump's presidential victory in November, but questions about new economic policies are adding much uncertainty for 2025. While the crowd speculates what might happen next, we're homing in on the companies that can succeed regardless of the political or macroeconomic environment. Put yourself in the driver's seat and build a durable portfolio by checking out our Top 9 Market-Beating Stocks. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 175% over the last five years. Stocks that made our list in 2019 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+2,183% between December 2019 and December 2024) as well as under-the-radar businesses like Comfort Systems (+751% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
3 Profitable Stocks Facing Headwinds
While profitability is essential, it doesn't guarantee long-term success. Some companies that rest on their margins will lose ground as competition intensifies - as Jeff Bezos said, "Your margin is my opportunity". Profits are valuable, but they're not everything. At StockStory, we help you identify the companies that have real staying power. That said, here are three profitable companies to steer clear of and a few better alternatives. Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 3.6% Translating to "of the mountain" in Spanish, Fresh Del Monte (NYSE:FDP) is a leader in providing high-quality, sustainably grown fresh fruits and vegetables. Why Is FDP Risky? Sales stagnated over the last three years and signal the need for new growth strategies Commoditized products, bad unit economics, and high competition are reflected in its low gross margin of 8.3% ROIC of 5.1% reflects management's challenges in identifying attractive investment opportunities Fresh Del Monte Produce is trading at $34.67 per share, or 12.1x forward price-to-earnings. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including FDP in your portfolio, it's free. Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 21.5% Formed in 1984 as Bell Atlantic after the breakup of Bell System into seven companies, Verizon (NYSE:VZ) is a telecom giant providing a range of communications and internet services. Why Should You Sell VZ? Underwhelming customer growth over the past two years shows the company faced challenges in winning new contracts Capital intensity will likely ramp up in the next year as its free cash flow margin is expected to contract by 2.2 percentage points Waning returns on capital from an already weak starting point displays the inefficacy of management's past and current investment decisions At $42.74 per share, Verizon trades at 9.1x forward price-to-earnings. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why VZ doesn't pass our bar. Trailing 12-Month GAAP Operating Margin: 29.1% With roots dating back to the precision balance innovations of Swiss engineer Erhard Mettler, Mettler-Toledo (NYSE:MTD) manufactures precision weighing instruments, analytical equipment, and product inspection systems used in laboratories, industrial settings, and food retail. Why Do We Think Twice About MTD? Sales stagnated over the last two years and signal the need for new growth strategies Organic revenue growth fell short of our benchmarks over the past two years and implies it may need to improve its products, pricing, or go-to-market strategy Sales are projected to be flat over the next 12 months and imply weak demand Mettler-Toledo's stock price of $1,072 implies a valuation ratio of 25.6x forward price-to-earnings. To fully understand why you should be careful with MTD, check out our full research report (it's free). The market surged in 2024 and reached record highs after Donald Trump's presidential victory in November, but questions about new economic policies are adding much uncertainty for 2025. While the crowd speculates what might happen next, we're homing in on the companies that can succeed regardless of the political or macroeconomic environment. Put yourself in the driver's seat and build a durable portfolio by checking out our Top 5 Strong Momentum Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 175% over the last five years. Stocks that made our list in 2019 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+2,183% between December 2019 and December 2024) as well as under-the-radar businesses like Comfort Systems (+751% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A Look Back at Research Tools & Consumables Stocks' Q4 Earnings: Mettler-Toledo (NYSE:MTD) Vs The Rest Of The Pack
Let's dig into the relative performance of Mettler-Toledo (NYSE:MTD) and its peers as we unravel the now-completed Q4 research tools & consumables earnings season. The life sciences subsector specializing in research tools and consumables enables scientific discoveries across academia, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals. These firms supply a wide range of essential laboratory products, ensuring a recurring revenue stream through repeat purchases and replenishment. Their business models benefit from strong customer loyalty, a diversified product portfolio, and exposure to both the research and clinical markets. However, challenges include high R&D investment to maintain technological leadership, pricing pressures from budget-conscious institutions, and vulnerability to fluctuations in research funding cycles. Looking ahead, this subsector stands to benefit from tailwinds such as growing demand for tools supporting emerging fields like synthetic biology and personalized medicine. There is also a rise in automation and AI-driven solutions in laboratories that could create new opportunities to sell tools and consumables. Nevertheless, headwinds exist. These companies tend to be at the mercy of supply chain disruptions and sensitivity to macroeconomic conditions that impact funding for research initiatives. The 10 research tools & consumables stocks we track reported a mixed Q4. As a group, revenues beat analysts' consensus estimates by 1.3% while next quarter's revenue guidance was in line. Amidst this news, share prices of the companies have had a rough stretch. On average, they are down 23.5% since the latest earnings results. With roots dating back to the precision balance innovations of Swiss engineer Erhard Mettler, Mettler-Toledo (NYSE:MTD) manufactures precision weighing instruments, analytical equipment, and product inspection systems used in laboratories, industrial settings, and food retail. Mettler-Toledo reported revenues of $1.05 billion, up 11.8% year on year. This print exceeded analysts' expectations by 3.6%. Overall, it was a very strong quarter for the company with an impressive beat of analysts' organic revenue estimates and a narrow beat of analysts' full-year EPS guidance estimates. Patrick Kaltenbach, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, 'We had a strong finish to the year as we capitalized on very good customer demand for Laboratory products, especially in Europe. Strong sales growth and solid execution of our margin improvement initiatives contributed to excellent Adjusted EPS and cash flow.' The stock is down 22.2% since reporting and currently trades at $1,053. Is now the time to buy Mettler-Toledo? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it's free. With a catalog of hundreds of thousands of specialized biological products used in laboratories worldwide, Bio-Techne (NASDAQ:TECH) develops and manufactures specialized reagents, instruments, and services that help researchers study biological processes and enable diagnostic testing and cell therapy development. Bio-Techne reported revenues of $297 million, up 9% year on year, outperforming analysts' expectations by 4.2%. The business had an exceptional quarter with a solid beat of analysts' organic revenue estimates and a decent beat of analysts' EPS estimates. Bio-Techne scored the biggest analyst estimates beat among its peers. The stock is down 26.3% since reporting. It currently trades at $53.50. Is now the time to buy Bio-Techne? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it's free. With roots dating back to 1904 and embedded in virtually every stage of scientific research and production, Avantor (NYSE:AVTR) provides mission-critical products, materials, and services to customers in biopharma, healthcare, education, and advanced technology industries. Avantor reported revenues of $1.69 billion, down 2.1% year on year, falling short of analysts' expectations by 1.6%. It was a softer quarter as it posted a miss of analysts' organic revenue estimates. Avantor delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates in the group. The stock is down 29.7% since the results and currently trades at $15.23. Read our full analysis of Avantor's results here. With over 14,000 sales personnel and a portfolio spanning more than 2,500 technology manufacturers, Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE:TMO) provides scientific equipment, reagents, consumables, software, and laboratory services to pharmaceutical, biotech, academic, and healthcare customers worldwide. Thermo Fisher reported revenues of $11.4 billion, up 4.7% year on year. This result topped analysts' expectations by 1%. Aside from that, it was a mixed quarter as it also logged an impressive beat of analysts' organic revenue estimates but a significant miss of analysts' operating income estimates. The stock is down 21.6% since reporting and currently trades at $445.49. Read our full, actionable report on Thermo Fisher here, it's free. With roots dating back to the pioneering days of nuclear magnetic resonance technology, Bruker (NASDAQ:BRKR) develops and manufactures high-performance scientific instruments that enable researchers and industrial analysts to explore materials at microscopic, molecular, and cellular levels. Bruker reported revenues of $979.6 million, up 14.6% year on year. This print beat analysts' expectations by 1.4%. More broadly, it was a mixed quarter as it also produced a solid beat of analysts' organic revenue estimates but full-year revenue guidance missing analysts' expectations. Bruker delivered the fastest revenue growth but had the weakest full-year guidance update among its peers. The stock is down 22.8% since reporting and currently trades at $39.89. Read our full, actionable report on Bruker here, it's free. Thanks to the Fed's rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has been on a steady path downward, easing back toward that 2% sweet spot. Fortunately (miraculously to some), all this tightening didn't send the economy tumbling into a recession, so here we are, cautiously celebrating a soft landing. The cherry on top? Recent rate cuts (half a point in September 2024, a quarter in November) have propped up markets, especially after Trump's November win lit a fire under major indices and sent them to all-time highs. However, there's still plenty to ponder — tariffs, corporate tax cuts, and what 2025 might hold for the economy. Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our 9 Best Market-Beating Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate. Join Paid Stock Investor Research Help us make StockStory more helpful to investors like yourself. Join our paid user research session and receive a $50 Amazon gift card for your opinions. Sign up here.
