The stock of Alexandria Real Estate Equities (NYSE:ARE, 30-year Financials) is estimated to be fairly valued, 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 $172.85 per share and the market cap of $25.5 billion, Alexandria Real Estate Equities stock gives every indication of being fairly valued. GF Value for Alexandria Real Estate Equities is shown in the chart below.
Because Alexandria Real Estate Equities is fairly valued, the long-term return of its stock is likely to be close to the rate of its business growth, which averaged 6.8% over the past three years and is estimated to grow 8.35% annually over the next three to five years.
It is always important to check the financial strength of a company before buying its stock. Investing in companies with poor financial strength have a higher risk of permanent loss. Looking at the cash-to-debt ratio and interest coverage is a great way to understand the financial strength of a company. Alexandria Real Estate Equities has a cash-to-debt ratio of 0.06, which is in the middle range of the companies in REITs industry. The overall financial strength of Alexandria Real Estate Equities is 4 out of 10, which indicates that the financial strength of Alexandria Real Estate Equities is poor. This is the debt and cash of Alexandria Real Estate Equities 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. Alexandria Real Estate Equities has been profitable 9 over the past 10 years. Over the past twelve months, the company had a revenue of $1.9 billion and earnings of $5.75 a share. Its operating margin is 28.44%, which ranks worse than 70% of the companies in REITs industry. Overall, the profitability of Alexandria Real Estate Equities is ranked 7 out of 10, which indicates fair profitability. This is the revenue and net income of Alexandria Real Estate Equities over the past years:
Growth is probably one of the most important factors 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. If a company’s business is growing, the company usually creates value for its shareholders, especially if the growth is profitable. Likewise, if a company’s revenue and earnings are declining, the value of the company will decrease. Alexandria Real Estate Equities’s 3-year average revenue growth rate is better than 81% of the companies in REITs industry. Alexandria Real Estate Equities’s 3-year average EBITDA growth rate is 18.6%, which ranks better than 87% of the companies in REITs 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, Alexandria Real Estate Equities’s ROIC is 2.53 while its WACC came in at 5.17. The historical ROIC vs WACC comparison of Alexandria Real Estate Equities is shown below:
In closing, the stock of Alexandria Real Estate Equities (NYSE:ARE, 30-year Financials) appears to be fairly valued. The company’s financial condition is poor and its profitability is fair. Its growth ranks better than 87% of the companies in REITs industry. To learn more about Alexandria Real Estate Equities stock, you can check out its 30-year Financials here.