The stock of L'Oreal SA (OTCPK:LRLCY, 30-year Financials) appears to be significantly overvalued, according to GuruFocus Value calculation. GuruFocus Value is GuruFocus' estimate of the fair value at which the stock should be traded. It is calculated based on the historical multiples that the stock has traded at, the past business growth and analyst estimates of future business performance. If the price of a stock is significantly above the GF Value Line, it is overvalued and its future return is likely to be poor. On the other hand, if it is significantly below the GF Value Line, its future return will likely be higher. At its current price of $82.7199 per share and the market cap of $231.6 billion, L'Oreal SA stock gives every indication of being significantly overvalued. GF Value for L'Oreal SA is shown in the chart below.
Because L'Oreal SA is significantly overvalued, the long-term return of its stock is likely to be much lower than its future business growth, which averaged 2.6% over the past three years and is estimated to grow 5.07% annually over the next three to five years.
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It is always important to check the financial strength of a company before buying its stock. Investing in companies with poor financial strength have a higher risk of permanent loss. Looking at the cash-to-debt ratio and interest coverage is a great way to understand the financial strength of a company. L'Oreal SA has a cash-to-debt ratio of 2.52, which is better than 73% of the companies in the industry of Consumer Packaged Goods. The overall financial strength of L'Oreal SA is 8 out of 10, which indicates that the financial strength of L'Oreal SA is strong. This is the debt and cash of L'Oreal SA over the past years:
It poses less risk to invest in profitable companies, especially those that have demonstrated consistent profitability over the long term. A company with high profit margins is also typically a safer investment than one with low profit margins. L'Oreal SA has been profitable 10 over the past 10 years. Over the past twelve months, the company had a revenue of $32.9 billion and earnings of $1.484 a share. Its operating margin is 18.36%, which ranks better than 89% of the companies in the industry of Consumer Packaged Goods. Overall, GuruFocus ranks the profitability of L'Oreal SA at 9 out of 10, which indicates strong profitability. This is the revenue and net income of L'Oreal SA over the past years:
Growth is probably the most important factor in the valuation of a company. GuruFocus research has found that growth is closely correlated with the long term stock performance of a company. A faster growing company creates more value for shareholders, especially if the growth is profitable. The 3-year average annual revenue growth of L'Oreal SA is 2.6%, which ranks in the middle range of the companies in the industry of Consumer Packaged Goods. The 3-year average EBITDA growth rate is 4.9%, which ranks in the middle range of the companies in the industry of Consumer Packaged Goods.
Another method of determining the profitability of a company is to compare its return on invested capital to the weighted average cost of capital. Return on invested capital (ROIC) measures how well a company generates cash flow relative to the capital it has invested in its business. The weighted average cost of capital (WACC) is the rate that a company is expected to pay on average to all its security holders to finance its assets. When the ROIC is higher than the WACC, it implies the company is creating value for shareholders. For the past 12 months, L'Oreal SA's return on invested capital is 10.78, and its cost of capital is 2.84. The historical ROIC vs WACC comparison of L'Oreal SA is shown below:
Overall, The stock of L'Oreal SA (OTCPK:LRLCY, 30-year Financials) shows every sign of being significantly overvalued. The company's financial condition is strong and its profitability is strong. Its growth ranks in the middle range of the companies in the industry of Consumer Packaged Goods. To learn more about L'Oreal SA stock, you can check out its 30-year Financials here.
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