5 Must-Buy Efficient Stocks to Buy Amid Volatile Market Conditions

Efficiency level measures a company’s capability to transform available input into output and is often considered an important parameter for gauging its potential to make profits. A company with a high efficiency level is expected to provide stellar returns as it is believed to be positively correlated with price performance.

However, at times, it becomes difficult to measure the efficiency level of a company. This is why one must consider the popular efficiency ratios listed below while selecting stocks.

The stocks of Tsakos Energy Navigation Limited TEN, 10x Genomics, Inc. TXG, Pan American Silver Corp. PAAS, Wolverine World Wide, Inc. WWW and Interface TILE made it through the screening process:

These efficiency ratios are:

Receivables Turnover: This is the ratio of 12-month sales to four-quarter average receivables. It shows a company’s potential to extend its credit and collect debt in terms of that credit. A high receivables turnover ratio or the “accounts receivable turnover ratio” or “debtor’s turnover ratio” is desirable as it shows that the company is capable of collecting its accounts receivables or that it has quality customers.

Asset Utilization: This ratio indicates a company’s capability to convert assets into output and is thus a widely known measure of efficiency level. It is calculated by dividing total sales over the past 12 months by the last four-quarter average of total assets. Like the above ratios, high asset utilization may indicate that a company is efficient.

Inventory Turnover: The ratio of the 12-month cost of goods sold (COGS) to a four-quarter average inventory is considered one of the most popular efficiency ratios. It indicates a company’s ability to maintain a suitable inventory position. While a high value indicates that the company has a relatively low level of inventory compared to COGS, a low value indicates that the company is facing declining sales, which has resulted in excess inventory.

Operating Margin: This efficiency measure is the ratio of operating income over the past 12 months to sales over the same period. It measures a company’s ability to control operating expenses. Hence, a high value of the ratio may indicate that the company manages its operating expenses more efficiently than its peers.

Screening Criteria

In addition to the above-mentioned ratios, we have added a favorable Zacks Rank — Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) — to the screen to make this strategy more profitable. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Inventory Turnover, Receivables Turnover, Asset Utilization, and Operating Margin greater than the industry average

(Values of these ratios higher than industry averages may indicate that the efficiency level of the company is higher than its peers.)   

The use of these few criteria narrowed down the universe of over 7,906 stocks to 15.

Here are the top five stocks that made it through the screen:

Tsakos Energy Navigation Limited

Tsakos Energy Navigation Limitedis a leading provider of international seaborne crude oil and petroleum product transportation services. TEN has an average four-quarter earnings surprise of 46.7%.

10x Genomics

10x Genomics is a life science technology company that develops and sells instruments, consumables and software for analyzing biological systems. TXG has an average four-quarter earnings surprise of 46.7%.

Pan American Silver

Pan American Silver is a mining company focused exclusively on silver. PAAS has an average four-quarter earnings surprise of 45.2%.

Wolverine World Wide

Wolverine World Wide is engaged in the designing, manufacturing and distribution of a wide variety of casual as well as active apparel and footwear. WWW has an average four-quarter earnings surprise of 39.1%.

Interface

Interface is the world's largest manufacturer of modular carpet, which it markets under the Interface and FLOR brands. TILE has an average four-quarter earnings surprise of 33.5%.

You can get the rest of the stocks on this list by signing up now for your 2-week free trial to the Research Wizard and start using this screen in your own trading. Further, you can also create your own strategies and test them first before taking the investment plunge.

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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

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