Zacks.com featured highlights: Hitachi, Koninklijke DSM, Embotelladora Andina, Cambrex and Ituran Location and Control

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – July 03, 2017 - Stocks in this week’s article include Hitachi Ltd. (OTCMKTS: HTHIY – Free Report ), Koninklijke DSM NV (OTCMKTS: RDSMY – Free Report ), Embotelladora Andina S.A. (NYSE: AKO.B – Free Report ), Cambrex Corporation (NYSE: CBM – Free Report ) and Ituran Location and Control Ltd. (NASDAQ: ITRN – Free Report ).

Screen of the Week of Zacks Investment Research:

5 Top Stocks with Solid Net Profit Margin

The primary motive of any investor is to generate maximum returns. Thus, investors are always on the lookout for companies which are raking in huge profits.

Net profit margin is the most effective way to measure a company’s profitability. A proper analysis of the same reveals how well a company is run and the headwinds confronting it.

Net Profit Margin = Net profit /Sales * 100.

In simple terms, net profit is the amount a company retains after deducting all costs, interest, depreciation, taxes and other expenses. In fact, net profit margin can turn out to be a potent point of reference to gauge the strength in a company operations and cost-control measures.

Higher net profit is indispensable for rewarding stakeholders. Net margin helps investors judge the risks of investing in a company. Creditors also view it as a major factor in determining a company’s ability to pay off debts.

Moreover, a higher net profit margin as compared to peers lends a competitive edge. Also, strength in the metric not only attracts new investors but also draws well-skilled employees that eventually add to the value of the business.

Pros and Cons

Net profit margin helps investors gain clarity on a company’s business model in terms of pricing policy, cost structure and manufacturing efficiency. Hence, a strong net profit margin is preferred by all classes of investors.

However, net profit margin as an investment criterion has its own share of pitfalls. The metric varies widely from industry to industry. While net income is a key metric for investment measurement in traditional industries, it is not that important for technology companies.

Moreover, the difference in accounting treatment of various items – especially non-cash expenses like depreciation and stock-based compensation – makes comparison an uphill task.

Further, for companies preferring to grow with debt, instead of equity funding, higher interest expenses usually weigh on the net profit. In such cases, the measure is rendered ineffective to analyze a company’s performance.

The Winning Strategy

A healthy net profit margin and solid EPS growth are the two most sought-after elements in a business model.

Apart from these, we have added a few other criteria to ensure maximum returns from this strategy.

Screening Parameters

Net Margin 12 months – Most Recent (%) greater than equal to 0 : High net profit margin indicates solid profitability.

Percentage Change in EPS F(0)/(F-1) greater than equal to 0 : It indicates earnings growth.

Average Broker Rating (1-5) equal to 1 : A rating of #1 indicates brokers’ extreme bullishness of the stock.

Zacks Rank less than or equal to 2 : Stocks having a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) generally perform better than their peers in all types of market environment. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here .

VGM Score of ‘A’ or ‘B’: Our research shows that stocks with a VGM Score of 'A' or 'B' when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 or 2 offer the best upside potential.

Here are five of the 21 stocks that qualified the screen:

Tokyo, Japan-based Hitachi Ltd. (OTCMKTS: HTHIY – Free Report ) is one of the world's leading global electronics companies. The company manufactures and markets a wide range of products, including computers, semiconductors, consumer products and power and industrial equipment. The stock has a Zacks Rank #2 and a VGM score of ‘A’. Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2017 earnings has remained constant at $5.48 per share for the last 30 days.

Netherlands-based Koninklijke DSM NV (OTCMKTS: RDSMY – Free Report ) operates in the chemicals industry. The company’s main focus is on base materials, performance materials, materials processing, base chemicals and fine chemicals and coating resins. The stock sports a Zacks Rank #1 and has a VGM score of ‘B’. Moreover, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2017 earnings has risen by 3 cents to $1.05 over the last 30 days.

Santiago, Chile-based Embotelladora Andina S.A. (NYSE: AKO.B – Free Report ) produces and distributes Coca-Cola products in Chile, Brazil and Argentina. The company has a Zacks Rank #2 and a VGM Score of ‘A’. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2017 earnings has remained steady at $1.16 over the last 30 days.

East Rutherford, NJ-based Cambrex Corporation (NYSE: CBM – Free Report ) provides products and services that accelerate and improve the development and commercialization of new and generic therapeutics. The company has a Zacks Rank #2 and a VGM score of ‘A’. Moreover, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2017 earnings remained steady at $2.95 per share over the last 30 days.

Ituran Location and Control Ltd . (NASDAQ:ITRN – Free Report ) provides location-based services, primarily consisting of stolen vehicle recovery and tracking services, as well as wireless communications products used in connection with its location-based services and various other applications. The company has a Zacks Rank #2 and a VGM Score of ‘B’. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2017 earnings has increased by 6 cents to $2.03 over the last 30 days.

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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.

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