Topic: Growth Stocks

This Canadian stock counts on 3-D software and a seasoned CEO

A Member of Pat McKeough’s Inner Circle recently asked about a stock that claims to be “doing it right.” This Canadian stock is building its future on 3-D office software that it claims can deliver customized office interiors better than the competition.

Pat points out one significant plus for DIRTT Environmental: a CEO with excellent credentials in the office furniture business. And the firm’s revenue and earnings rose in the latest quarter. Still, concludes Pat, the company must prove that it can continue to compete in a crowded and highly fragmented business.

Q: Pat: Could you please comment regarding future prospects for DIRTT Environmental Solutions? Your advice is always greatly appreciated.


Where investors lose more money

“Overall, investors lose more money to conflicts of interest than to any other single risk. That’s not a comment about the average broker’s sense of ethics. It’s simply a matter of frequency of exposure times risk per exposure. For example, suppose you tell your broker that you have some money and you want to invest it aggressively…”
Whether you’re a Do-It-Yourself investor or have someone else handle your money, you will find many keys to building the retirement you want in Pat McKeough’s special report. Four decades of proven experience have gone into “Wealth Management and Retirement Planning”.

Read this FREE report >>

 


A: DIRTT Environmental Solutions Ltd., $5.88, symbol DRT on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 84.7 million; Market cap: $485.4 million; www.dirtt.net), designs and builds customized office interiors. DIRTT stands for “doing it right this time.”

The company believes its ICE 3-D software lets it deliver pre-made, customizable interiors faster and more efficiently than traditional construction methods. DIRTT first sold shares to the public at $3 each and began trading on Toronto in November 2013.

In the three months ended September 30, 2017, the company’s revenue rose 17.5%, to $84.0 million from $71.5 million a year earlier. That gain was mainly due to strong demand from clients in the healthcare, financial services and technology fields.

DIRTT gets 80% of its revenue from clients in the U.S., so it suffers from a higher Canadian dollar. If you exclude the impact of exchange rates, revenue in the quarter jumped over 21%.

Earnings rose 3.7% in the quarter, to $4.2 million from $4.0 million. Per-share profits were unchanged at $0.05 on more shares outstanding. The company’s higher spending on new salespeople and other initiatives to spur long-term growth offset the improved revenue.

DIRTT holds cash of $70.7 million, or $0.84 a share, and its long-term debt is just $14.1 million, or 2.9% of its market cap.

Growth stocks: Company’s CEO has record of success in same industry

Mogens Falk Smed, who founded SMED Manufacturing in 1983, has been DIRTT’s CEO since May 2004. SMED designed, made and sold office furniture.

SMED was one of the first recommendations of our Stock Pickers Digest newsletter. We first recommended it in the November 1998 issue at $8. In January 2000, SMED entered into an agreement with U.S.-based Haworth Inc., which acquired the company for $24 a share.

The involvement of Smed gives DIRTT some speculative appeal, but the company operates in a competitive market and may have trouble reporting consistent profits.

However, the customized office interior construction business is highly fragmented. DIRTT’s specialized software, and Smed’s business contacts, may provide a competitive advantage.

Inner Circle recommendation: DIRTT Environmental Solutions is okay to hold for aggressive investors.

For our recent report on a Canadian marijuana stock with a big deal in its pocket, read Aphria soars on marijuana sales, Shoppers deal.

For our advice on how to make the best of growth stocks, read 3 Growth Investing Strategies: Two we like—and one we don’t.

Comments

Tell Us What YOU Think

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Please be respectful with your comments and help us keep this an area that everyone can enjoy. If you believe a comment is abusive or otherwise violates our Terms of Use, please click here to report it to the administrator.