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Grab These 4 Stocks With Solid Net Profit Margin to Enhance Returns
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Key Takeaways
{\"0\":\"CHEF, PRDO, ATGE and NOMD were selected for strong net margins and solid EPS growth outlooks.\",\"1\":\"Each stock has a VGM Score of A and a Zacks Rank of 2, signaling high-return potential.\",\"2\":\"Earnings estimates for CHEF, PRDO and NOMD were revised upward within the past seven days.\"}
Investors prefer to invest in businesses that reap profits on a regular basis. To gauge the extent of profits, there is no better metric than the net profit margin.
A higher net margin reflects a company’s efficiency in converting sales into actual profits. The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. (CHEF - Free Report) , Perdoceo Education Corporation (PRDO - Free Report) , Adtalem Global Education Inc. (ATGE - Free Report) and Nomad Foods Limited (NOMD - 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, a 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: A 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 19 stocks that qualified the screening:
Chefs' Warehouse is a distributor of specialty food products in the United States. The company is focused on serving the specific needs of chefs who own and/or operate restaurants, fine dining establishments, country clubs, hotels, caterers, culinary schools and specialty food stores. The stock carries a Zacks Rank of 2 at present and has a VGM Score of A. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CHEF’s 2025 earnings has been revised upward to $1.75 per share from $1.65 in the past seven days. Chefs’ Warehouse surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 11.3%.
Perdoceo Education provides educational services. The company offers bachelor's, associate and non-degree programs in information technologies, visual communication and design technologies, business studies and culinary arts. The stock carries a Zacks Rank of 2 at present and a VGM Score of A.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Perdoceo Education’s 2025 earnings has been revised upward by 3 cents to $2.52 per share in the past seven days. PRDO beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 6.2%.
Adtalem Global Education is a leading healthcare education provider and workforce solutions innovator. The stock carries a Zacks Rank of 2 at present and a VGM Score of A.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Adtalem Global Education’s fiscal 2026 earnings has remained unchanged at $6.52 per share in the past 60 days. ATGE’s earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 18.4%.
Nomad Foods manufactures and distributes frozen foods primarily in the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Sweden, France and Norway. The stock carries a Zacks Rank of 2 at present and has a VGM Score of A.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Nomad Foods’ 2025 earnings has been revised upward by 6 cents to $2.13 per share over the past seven days. NOMD’s earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate twice in the trailing four quarters, matched once and missed on one occasion, the average surprise being 3.2%.
Get the rest of the stocks on the list and start putting this and other ideas to the test. It can all be done with the Research Wizard stock picking and back-testing software.
The Research Wizard is a great place to begin. It's easy to use. Everything is in plain language. And it's very intuitive. Start your Research Wizard trial today. And the next time you read an economic report, open up the Research Wizard, plug your finds in, and see what gems come out.
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.
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Grab These 4 Stocks With Solid Net Profit Margin to Enhance Returns
Key Takeaways
Investors prefer to invest in businesses that reap profits on a regular basis. To gauge the extent of profits, there is no better metric than the net profit margin.
A higher net margin reflects a company’s efficiency in converting sales into actual profits. The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. (CHEF - Free Report) , Perdoceo Education Corporation (PRDO - Free Report) , Adtalem Global Education Inc. (ATGE - Free Report) and Nomad Foods Limited (NOMD - 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, a 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: A 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 19 stocks that qualified the screening:
Chefs' Warehouse is a distributor of specialty food products in the United States. The company is focused on serving the specific needs of chefs who own and/or operate restaurants, fine dining establishments, country clubs, hotels, caterers, culinary schools and specialty food stores. The stock carries a Zacks Rank of 2 at present and has a VGM Score of A. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CHEF’s 2025 earnings has been revised upward to $1.75 per share from $1.65 in the past seven days. Chefs’ Warehouse surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 11.3%.
Perdoceo Education provides educational services. The company offers bachelor's, associate and non-degree programs in information technologies, visual communication and design technologies, business studies and culinary arts. The stock carries a Zacks Rank of 2 at present and a VGM Score of A.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Perdoceo Education’s 2025 earnings has been revised upward by 3 cents to $2.52 per share in the past seven days. PRDO beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 6.2%.
Adtalem Global Education is a leading healthcare education provider and workforce solutions innovator. The stock carries a Zacks Rank of 2 at present and a VGM Score of A.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Adtalem Global Education’s fiscal 2026 earnings has remained unchanged at $6.52 per share in the past 60 days. ATGE’s earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 18.4%.
Nomad Foods manufactures and distributes frozen foods primarily in the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Sweden, France and Norway. The stock carries a Zacks Rank of 2 at present and has a VGM Score of A.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Nomad Foods’ 2025 earnings has been revised upward by 6 cents to $2.13 per share over the past seven days. NOMD’s earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate twice in the trailing four quarters, matched once and missed on one occasion, the average surprise being 3.2%.
Get the rest of the stocks on the list and start putting this and other ideas to the test. It can all be done with the Research Wizard stock picking and back-testing software.
The Research Wizard is a great place to begin. It's easy to use. Everything is in plain language. And it's very intuitive. Start your Research Wizard trial today. And the next time you read an economic report, open up the Research Wizard, plug your finds in, and see what gems come out.
Click here to sign up for a free trial to the Research Wizard today.
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/.