In trying to determine how profitable a company is per asset dollar, we can take a look at  the firm’s Return on Assets.  Return on assets is calculated by dividing a company’s net income (usually annual income) by its total assets, and is displayed as a percentage. At the time of writing, Caribbean Utilities Company, Ltd. (TSX:CUP.U) has 0.052735 ROA.  The measure is commonly used to compare the performance of businesses within the same industry, since it is very difficult for someone to obfuscate the cash flow figure. Thus, the ratio is quite a reliable and comparable measure of asset performance across an industry.

Traders might be paying extra attention to the technicals as they look to spot buying opportunities in the stock market. Because there are so many different strategies that traders can use, it may be difficult to pinpoint the correct avenue. New traders might choose to focus on one or two main indicators when just starting out. With time and experience, many traders will use a combination of various indicators when setting up their persona charts. It may be wise for traders to remember that what has worked for someone else in the past may not work for them in the future.   

Valuation Scores

Checking in on some valuation rankings, Caribbean Utilities Company, Ltd. (TSX:CUP.U) has a Value Composite score of 40. Developed by James O’Shaughnessy, the VC score uses five valuation ratios. These ratios are price to earnings, price to cash flow, EBITDA to EV, price to book value, and price to sales. The VC is displayed as a number between 1 and 100. In general, a company with a score closer to 0 would be seen as undervalued, and a score closer to 100 would indicate an overvalued company. Adding a sixth ratio, shareholder yield, we can view the Value Composite 2 score which is currently sitting at 33.

Caribbean Utilities Company, Ltd. (TSX:CUP.U) has a current MF Rank of 8845. Developed by hedge fund manager Joel Greenblatt, the intention of the formula is to spot high quality companies that are trading at an attractive price. The formula uses ROIC and earnings yield ratios to find quality, undervalued stocks. In general, companies with the lowest combined rank may be the higher quality picks.

The price to book ratio or market to book ratio for Caribbean Utilities Company, Ltd. (TSX:CUP.U) currently stands at 2.306721.  The ratio is calculated by dividing the stock price per share by the book value per share.  This ratio is used to determine how the market values the equity.  A ratio of under 1 typically indicates that the shares are undervalued.  A ratio over 1 indicates that the market is willing to pay more for the shares.  There are often many underlying factors that come into play with the Price to Book ratio so all additional metrics should be considered as well. 

Investors might be trying to step up their game in order to play a more active role with their investments. Investors who keep a close watch on what is happening with their money may be putting themselves in a good spot to attain financial success in the markets. Being knowledgeable and comfortable about investments may be a great way to be certain that the hard earned money is working for the individual. Wise investors typically have a detailed plan that entails realistic expectations about profits in the stock market. There will always be risks dealing with the equity market, but hoping to get lucky may lead to severe losses and other pitfalls down the road. Everyone may have a different risk threshold when it comes to investing. It may be highly important to evaluate one’s own overall financial situation before going full throttle into the markets.

Ever wonder how investors predict positive share price momentum?  The Cross SMA 50/200, also known as the “Golden Cross” is the fifty day moving average divided by the two hundred day moving average.  The SMA 50/200 for Caribbean Utilities Company, Ltd. (TSX:CUP.U) is currently 1.15747.  If the Golden Cross is greater than 1, then the 50 day moving average is above the 200 day moving average – indicating a positive share price momentum.  If the Golden Cross is less than 1, then the 50 day moving average is below the 200 day moving average, indicating that the price might drop.

The Leverage Ratio of Caribbean Utilities Company, Ltd. (TSX:CUP.U) is 0.530374. Leverage ratio is the total debt of a company divided by total assets of the current and past year divided by two. Companies take on debt to finance their day to day operations. The leverage ratio can measure how much of a company’s capital comes from debt. With this ratio, investors can better estimate how well a company will be able to pay their long and short term financial obligations.

Volatility

Stock volatility is a percentage that indicates whether a stock is a desirable purchase.  Investors look at the Volatility 12m to determine if a company has a low volatility percentage or not over the course of a year.  The Volatility 12m of Caribbean Utilities Company, Ltd. (TSX:CUP.U) is 16.980000.  This is calculated by taking weekly log normal returns and standard deviation of the share price over one year annualized.  The lower the number, a company is thought to have low volatility.  The Volatility 3m is a similar percentage determined by the daily log normal returns and standard deviation of the share price over 3 months.  The Volatility 3m of Caribbean Utilities Company, Ltd. (TSX:CUP.U) is 23.138400.  The Volatility 6m is the same, except measured over the course of six months.  The Volatility 6m is 26.028700.

Quant Scores

The Q.i. Value of Caribbean Utilities Company, Ltd. (TSX:CUP.U) is 29.00000.  The Q.i. Value is a helpful tool in determining if a company is undervalued or not.  The Q.i. Value is calculated using the following ratios: EBITDA Yield, Earnings Yield, FCF Yield, and Liquidity.  The lower the Q.i. value, the more undervalued the company is thought to be.

The Piotroski F-Score is a scoring system between 1-9 that determines a firm’s financial strength.  The score helps determine if a company’s stock is valuable or not.  The Piotroski F-Score of Caribbean Utilities Company, Ltd. (TSX:CUP.U) is 7.  A score of nine indicates a high value stock, while a score of one indicates a low value stock.  The score is calculated by the return on assets (ROA), Cash flow return on assets (CFROA), change in return of assets, and quality of earnings.  It is also calculated by a change in gearing or leverage, liquidity, and change in shares in issue.  The score is also determined by change in gross margin and change in asset turnover.

The M-Score, conceived by accounting professor Messod Beneish, is a model for detecting whether a company has manipulated their earnings numbers or not. Caribbean Utilities Company, Ltd. (TSX:CUP.U) has an M-Score of -2.561122.  The M-Score is based on 8 different variables: Days’ sales in receivables index, Gross Margin Index, Asset Quality Index, Sales Growth Index, Depreciation Index, Sales, General and Administrative expenses Index, Leverage Index and Total Accruals to Total Assets.  A score higher than -1.78 is an indicator that the company might be manipulating their numbers.

The Gross Margin Score is calculated by looking at the Gross Margin and the overall stability of the company over the course of 8 years.  The score is a number between one and one hundred (1 being best and 100 being the worst).  The Gross Margin Score of Caribbean Utilities Company, Ltd. (TSX:CUP.U) is 1.00000.  The more stable the company, the lower the score.  If a company is less stable over the course of time, they will have a higher score.

Most investors are aware that not all stocks will be performing well at the same time. Different stocks may have alternate reactions to various economic factors, world events, and business happenings. When one stock is up, another one might be on the way down. Keeping the portfolio full of names from different sectors can help offset imbalances when one stock or sector may be performing poorly while another stock or sector is doing well. Diversification is typically recommended with all types of investing. Many factors may come into play when trying to pick the right stocks to own. Investors may want to figure out how much they are willing to risk, and what kinds of returns they are looking for. Many beginner investors may not be comfortable picking stocks on their own. Seeking professional advice may be one avenue to pursue, but it is usually a good idea to know exactly what holdings are in the portfolio at all times, as markets can move quickly and without notice.