This is a subscriber request follow-up on a video I produced in October 2019 on Lithia Motors Inc. (LAD) Titled: “Hot Stock On Earnings Beat – Lithia Motors Inc $LAD.”
The stock was very inexpensive at that time trading at a blended P/E ratio of only 11.83 on a company with a long-term growth rate of 10.12%.
But more to the point, since coming out of the great recession of 2008, the stock’s growth rate has exploded.
In conjunction with that earnings increase, the stock price went from $130 a share on October 22, 2019 to $369 a share through yesterday’s close.
That translates into a total annualized rate of return of 112.5% per annum.
Growth has been 179% and when you add in dividends the total rate of return 180%.
However, the stock was extremely inexpensive when I produced the initial video. Therefore, the explosive earnings growth generated the explosive price growth. But perhaps most importantly, based on future estimates it ain’t over yet baby.
The company is still expected to grow long-term at over 25% per annum, and based on the current blended P/E ratio of 20, it is still attractively valued. Not necessarily dirt cheap like it was a year ago, but attractive, nevertheless.
If you are looking for high total return in this overheated market Lithia Motors might still fit the bill. Caveat emptor.
— Chuck Carnevale
Source: FAST Graphs