FutureFuel Corp. (FF), Amyris Inc (AMRS): Has Solazyme Inc (SZYM) Become the Perfect Stock?

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Every investor would love to stumble upon the perfect stock. But will you ever really find a stock that provides everything you could possibly want?

One thing’s for sure: You’ll never discover truly great investments unless you actively look for them. Let’s discuss the ideal qualities of a perfect stock, then decide if Solazyme Inc (NASDAQ:SZYM) fits the bill.

Solazyme Inc

The quest for perfection
Stocks that look great based on one factor may prove horrible elsewhere, making due diligence a crucial part of your investing research. The best stocks excel in many different areas, including these important factors:

1). Growth. Expanding businesses show healthy revenue growth. While past growth is no guarantee that revenue will keep rising, it’s certainly a better sign than a stagnant top line.

2). Margins. Higher sales mean nothing if a company can’t produce profits from them. Strong margins ensure that company can turn revenue into profit.

3). Balance sheet. At debt-laden companies, banks and bondholders compete with shareholders for management’s attention. Companies with strong balance sheets don’t have to worry about the distraction of debt.

4). Money-making opportunities. Return on equity helps measure how well a company is finding opportunities to turn its resources into profitable business endeavors.

5). Valuation. You can’t afford to pay too much for even the best companies. By using normalized figures, you can see how a stock’s simple earnings multiple fits into a longer-term context.

6). Dividends. For tangible proof of profits, a check to shareholders every three months can’t be beat. Companies with solid dividends and strong commitments to increasing payouts treat shareholders well.

With those factors in mind, let’s take a closer look at Solazyme Inc (NASDAQ:SZYM).

Factor What We Want to See Actual Pass or Fail?
Growth 5-year annual revenue growth > 15% 162.9%* Pass
1-year revenue growth > 12% 13.2% Pass
Margins Gross margin > 35% 88% Pass
Net margin > 15% (188.5%) Fail
Balance sheet Debt to equity < 50% 8.2% Pass
Current ratio > 1.3 6.63 Pass
Opportunities Return on equity > 15% (39.2%) Fail
Valuation Normalized P/E < 20 NM NM
Dividends Current yield > 2% 0% Fail
5-year dividend growth > 10% 0% Fail
Total score 5 out of 9

Source: S&P Capital IQ. NM = not meaningful due to negative earnings. Total score = number of passes. * Four-year growth rate.

Since we looked at Solazyme last year, the company has picked up a point, as revenue growth picked up a bit in 2012. The stock, though, plunged by more than half over the past year.

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