The stock of Kirkland Lake Gold (NYSE:KL, 30-year Financials) appears to be modestly undervalued, 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 $42.83 per share and the market cap of $11.5 billion, Kirkland Lake Gold stock appears to be modestly undervalued. GF Value for Kirkland Lake Gold is shown in the chart below.
Because Kirkland Lake Gold is relatively undervalued, the long-term return of its stock is likely to be higher than its business growth, which averaged 36.5% over the past three years and is estimated to grow 0.06% annually over the next three to five years.
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Since investing in companies with low financial strength could result in permanent capital loss, investors must carefully review a company's financial strength before deciding whether to buy shares. Looking at the cash-to-debt ratio and interest coverage can give a good initial perspective on the company's financial strength. Kirkland Lake Gold has a cash-to-debt ratio of 30.35, which ranks in the middle range of the companies in Metals & Mining industry. Based on this, GuruFocus ranks Kirkland Lake Gold's financial strength as 8 out of 10, suggesting strong balance sheet. This is the debt and cash of Kirkland Lake Gold over the past years:
It is less risky to invest in profitable companies, especially those with consistent profitability over long term. A company with high profit margins is usually a safer investment than those with low profit margins. Kirkland Lake Gold has been profitable 8 over the past 10 years. Over the past twelve months, the company had a revenue of $2.5 billion and earnings of $2.71 a share. Its operating margin is 50.64%, which ranks better than 96% of the companies in Metals & Mining industry. Overall, the profitability of Kirkland Lake Gold is ranked 8 out of 10, which indicates strong profitability. This is the revenue and net income of Kirkland Lake Gold 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 performance of a company's stock. The faster a company is growing, the more likely it is to be creating value for shareholders, especially if the growth is profitable. The 3-year average annual revenue growth rate of Kirkland Lake Gold is 36.5%, which ranks better than 93% of the companies in Metals & Mining industry. The 3-year average EBITDA growth rate is 49.6%, which ranks better than 90% of the companies in Metals & Mining industry.
One can also evaluate a company's profitability by comparing its return on invested capital (ROIC) to its weighted average cost of capital (WACC). 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. If the return on invested capital exceeds the weighted average cost of capital, the company is likely creating value for its shareholders. During the past 12 months, Kirkland Lake Gold's ROIC is 14.37 while its WACC came in at 5.55. The historical ROIC vs WACC comparison of Kirkland Lake Gold is shown below:
In summary, The stock of Kirkland Lake Gold (NYSE:KL, 30-year Financials) gives every indication of being modestly undervalued. The company's financial condition is strong and its profitability is strong. Its growth ranks better than 90% of the companies in Metals & Mining industry. To learn more about Kirkland Lake Gold stock, you can check out its 30-year Financials here.
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