We are always on the lookout for good companies at compelling values. Sometimes that means we return to names we have held in the past. Stratasys (SSYS) is one such stock which was newly added to the Growth Fund in the quarter. The company is a market leader in the rapidly growing 3D printing/ additive manufacturing space, generating over 30% organic top-line growth annually and holding a dominant position at the high end of the market. We believe the company is just scratching the surface on a very large opportunity going forward.
The stock once traded as high as 15 times its trailing twelve months revenue as investor euphoria followed a spate of positive news reports, allowing us to take profits in a good company but an overvalued stock. It has now dropped back below 4 times its trailing revenue, a more reasonable multiple. The retrenchment was due to two main factors. Hewlett Packard has said it intends to move into the 3D printing space, but we believe competitive concerns are overblown given Stratasys’s strong market position and momentum. In addition, the market reacted negatively to the company’s increased spending plans to add technical sales people which strengthens its vertical market presence and builds barriers to competition. While near term profits will be impacted, we see the company’s durable competitive advantage continuing to improve, offering a compelling investment in the space.
From Bill Frels’ Mairs & Power Growth Fund Q1 2015 Commentary.
