Why Citi Trends, Inc.’s (NASDAQ:CTRN) Cash Is A Factor You Need To Consider
If you are currently a shareholder in Citi Trends, Inc. (NASDAQ:CTRN), or considering investing in the stock, you need to examine how the business generates cash, and how it is reinvested. This difference directly flows down to how much the stock is worth. Operating in the industry, CTRN is currently valued at US$276m. Today we will examine CTRN’s ability to generate cash flows, as well as the level of capital expenditure it is expected to incur over the next couple of years, which will result in how much money goes to you.
Check out our latest analysis for Citi Trends
Is Citi Trends generating enough cash?
Citi Trends generates cash through its day-to-day business, which needs to be reinvested into the company in order for it to continue operating. What remains after this expenditure, is known as its free cash flow, or FCF, for short.
The two ways to assess whether Citi Trends’s FCF is sufficient, is to compare the FCF yield to the market index yield, as well as determine whether the top-line operating cash flows will continue to grow.
Free Cash Flow = Operating Cash Flows – Net Capital Expenditure
Free Cash Flow Yield = Free Cash Flow / Enterprise Value
where Enterprise Value = Market Capitalisation + Net Debt
Citi Trends’s yield of 5.45% last year indicates its ability to produce cash at the same rate as the market index, taking into account the company’s size. However, given that the risk for holding single-stock Citi Trends is higher, this may mean inadequate compensation above and beyond merely investing in the whole market.
Is Citi Trends’s yield sustainable?
Does CTRN’s future look brighter in terms of its ability to generate higher operating cash flows? This can be estimated by examining the trend of the company’s operating cash flow moving forward. In the next few years, the company is expected to grow its cash from operations at a double-digit rate of 27%, ramping up from its current levels of US$32m to US$41m in two years’ time. Furthermore, breaking down growth into a year on year basis, CTRN is able to increase its growth rate each year, from 9.8% next year, to 16% in the following year. The overall future outlook seems buoyant if CTRN can maintain its levels of capital expenditure as well.
Next Steps:
High operating cash flow growth is a positive indication for Citi Trends’s future, which means it may be able to sustain the current cash yield. But holding the stock on its own is riskier than investing in the diversified market, which means the yield is not that attractive on a risk-return basis. Now you know to keep cash flows in mind, You should continue to research Citi Trends to get a better picture of the company by looking at:
Valuation: What is CTRN worth today? Is the stock undervalued, even when its growth outlook is factored into its intrinsic value? The intrinsic value infographic in our free research report helps visualize whether CTRN is currently mispriced by the market.
Management Team: An experienced management team on the helm increases our confidence in the business – take a look at who sits on Citi Trends’s board and the CEO’s back ground.
Other High-Performing Stocks: If you believe you should cushion your portfolio with something less risky, scroll through our free list of these great stocks here.
We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.
If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
