Advertisement
Canada markets closed
  • S&P/TSX

    22,011.72
    +139.76 (+0.64%)
     
  • S&P 500

    5,070.55
    +59.95 (+1.20%)
     
  • DOW

    38,503.69
    +263.71 (+0.69%)
     
  • CAD/USD

    0.7321
    +0.0001 (+0.01%)
     
  • CRUDE OIL

    83.30
    -0.06 (-0.07%)
     
  • Bitcoin CAD

    91,220.58
    -303.02 (-0.33%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    1,435.39
    +20.63 (+1.46%)
     
  • GOLD FUTURES

    2,334.00
    -8.10 (-0.35%)
     
  • RUSSELL 2000

    2,002.64
    +35.17 (+1.79%)
     
  • 10-Yr Bond

    4.5980
    -0.0250 (-0.54%)
     
  • NASDAQ futures

    17,713.50
    +106.75 (+0.61%)
     
  • VOLATILITY

    15.69
    -1.25 (-7.38%)
     
  • FTSE

    8,044.81
    +20.94 (+0.26%)
     
  • NIKKEI 225

    38,306.24
    +754.08 (+2.01%)
     
  • CAD/EUR

    0.6833
    -0.0003 (-0.04%)
     

Is Now The Time To Put SYNNEX (NYSE:SNX) On Your Watchlist?

Like a puppy chasing its tail, some new investors often chase 'the next big thing', even if that means buying 'story stocks' without revenue, let alone profit. Unfortunately, high risk investments often have little probability of ever paying off, and many investors pay a price to learn their lesson.

In the age of tech-stock blue-sky investing, my choice may seem old fashioned; I still prefer profitable companies like SYNNEX (NYSE:SNX). Even if the shares are fully valued today, most capitalists would recognize its profits as the demonstration of steady value generation. In comparison, loss making companies act like a sponge for capital - but unlike such a sponge they do not always produce something when squeezed.

Check out our latest analysis for SYNNEX

SYNNEX's Earnings Per Share Are Growing.

As one of my mentors once told me, share price follows earnings per share (EPS). Therefore, there are plenty of investors who like to buy shares in companies that are growing EPS. As a tree reaches steadily for the sky, SYNNEX's EPS has grown 17% each year, compound, over three years. As a general rule, we'd say that if a company can keep up that sort of growth, shareholders will be smiling.

ADVERTISEMENT

I like to see top-line growth as an indication that growth is sustainable, and I look for a high earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margin to point to a competitive moat (though some companies with low margins also have moats). While we note SYNNEX's EBIT margins were flat over the last year, revenue grew by a solid 13% to US$26b. That's a real positive.

In the chart below, you can see how the company has grown earnings, and revenue, over time. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.

earnings-and-revenue-history
earnings-and-revenue-history

Fortunately, we've got access to analyst forecasts of SYNNEX's future profits. You can do your own forecasts without looking, or you can take a peek at what the professionals are predicting.

Are SYNNEX Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

Since SYNNEX has a market capitalization of US$5.6b, we wouldn't expect insiders to hold a large percentage of shares. But we do take comfort from the fact that they are investors in the company. Notably, they have an enormous stake in the company, worth US$123m. This suggests to me that leadership will be very mindful of shareholders' interests when making decisions!

It means a lot to see insiders invested in the business, but I find myself wondering if remuneration policies are shareholder friendly. Well, based on the CEO pay, I'd say they are indeed. I discovered that the median total compensation for the CEOs of companies like SYNNEX with market caps between US$4.0b and US$12b is about US$6.5m.

The CEO of SYNNEX only received US$2.9m in total compensation for the year ending . That looks like modest pay to me, and may hint at a certain respect for the interests of shareholders. CEO remuneration levels are not the most important metric for investors, but when the pay is modest, that does support enhanced alignment between the CEO and the ordinary shareholders. I'd also argue reasonable pay levels attest to good decision making more generally.

Should You Add SYNNEX To Your Watchlist?

Given my belief that share price follows earnings per share you can easily imagine how I feel about SYNNEX's strong EPS growth. If you need more convincing beyond that EPS growth rate, don't forget about the reasonable remuneration and the high insider ownership. This may only be a fast rundown, but the takeaway for me is that SYNNEX is worth keeping an eye on. However, before you get too excited we've discovered 4 warning signs for SYNNEX (1 makes us a bit uncomfortable!) that you should be aware of.

Of course, you can do well (sometimes) buying stocks that are not growing earnings and do not have insiders buying shares. But as a growth investor I always like to check out companies that do have those features. You can access a free list of them here.

Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.