What’s at Stake for Origin Energy Limited (ASX:ORG)? Cash Flow Change of -0.09644 Tells a Story

Origin Energy Limited (ASX:ORG) has seen year over year cash flow change of -0.09644.  This is calculated as the one year percentage growth of the firm’s cash flow from operations from their publicly filed statement of cash flows.  Cash reserves are an important element for an investor to consider when analyzing a stock.  A continued reduction in cash flow could spell trouble for a firm while on the other hand solid continued cash flow growth should translate into stock growth.

When dealing with the equity markets, investors are often tasked with trying to find stocks that are bound for glory. Every investor dreams of finding those stocks that were overlooked but are poised to pick up momentum. New investors are often instructed to set goals before starting to invest. Creating attainable, realistic goals can be a good starting point before digging into the investment trenches. After setting up goals considering financial status, objectives, timeframes and risk appetite, the next step may involve creating an actionable plan. Once the plan is in place, it may be extremely important to routinely monitor the performance of the portfolio. There are often many well crafted investment plans that for whatever reason don’t seem to be working out properly. Being able to evaluate and adjust the plan based on market activity may end up being the difference between a winning or losing portfolio. Being able to adapt to the fast paced and often times tumultuous market landscape can be a gigantic benefit for long-term portfolio health.

In taking a look at some other key growth stats we note that the one year Growth EBIT ratio stands at 0.56105 for Origin Energy Limited (ASX:ORG) and is a calculation of one year growth in earnings before interest and taxes. The one year EBITDA growth number stands at 0.74089 which is calculated similarly to EBIT Growth with just the addition of amortization.

Taking even a further look we note that the 1 year Free Cash Flow (FCF) Growth is at -0.16940. The one year growth in Net Profit after Tax is -1.11278 and lastly sales growth was 0.22599.

Origin Energy Limited (ASX:ORG) has a present suggested portfolio ownership rate of 0.03530 (as a decimal) ownership. Target weight is the volatility adjusted recommended position size for a stock in your portfolio. The maximum target weight is 7% for any given holding. The indicator is based off of the 100 day volatility reading and calculates a target weight accordingly. The more recent volatility of a stock, the lower the target weight will be. The 3-month volatility stands at 27.222500 (decimal). This is the normal returns and standard deviation of the stock price over three months annualized.

Diving down into some additional near-term indicators we see that the Capex to PPE ratio stands at 0.080069 for Origin Energy Limited (ASX:ORG). The Capex to PPE ratio shows you how capital intensive a company is. Stocks with an increasing (year over year) ratio may be moving to be more capital intensive and often underperform the market. Higher Capex also often means lower Free Cash Flow (Operating cash flow – Capex) generation and lower dividends as companies don’t have the cash to pay dividends if they are investing more in the business.

Investors are constantly trying to make smarter decisions when it comes to dealing with the stock market. There are so many choices out there that it may become completely overwhelming at first. Starting with a baseline approach can help ease the burden of too much information. Developing the proper investment knowledge may take a lot of time and effort. Many investors may find out the hard way that shortcuts are not the answer to achieving long-term success in the stock market. Many people may occasionally get lucky and think they can do no wrong. Over time, this type of investor may see profits start to shrink and losses start to pile up. Many investors are bombarded with hot investment tips. It can be very tempting to take advice from someone who has actually made money in the markets previously. However, the old adage remains the same; past results may not indicate future results. Thinking that something that has worked in the past will no doubt work in the future can be a recipe for portfolio disaster. Individual investors who do their own thorough research should be much better positioned to make the proper decisions when the time comes. 

In looking at some key ratios we note that the Piotroski F Score stands at 7 (1 to 10 scale) and the ERP5 rank holds steady at 7887. The Q.I. Value of Origin Energy Limited (ASX:ORG) currently reads 32.00000 on the Quant scale. The Free Cash Flow score of 0.778801 is also swinging some momentum at investors. The Australia based firm is currently valued at 37600.

Some other notable ratios include the Accrual Ratio of -0.006444, the Altman Z score of 1.572682, a Montier C-Score of 2.00000 and a Value Composite rank of 32.

Diversification can be an important aspect of any investor’s portfolio. Investors may choose to spread out stock holdings between foreign stocks and stocks with different market capitalizations. Investors may have to first become aware of the risk associated with owning a wide variety of stocks. Owning stocks that belong to different industries may also be a help to the success of the portfolio. Often times, sectors may trade off being market leaders. Owning all one sector may leave too much risk exposed if the sector suddenly tanks and falls out of favor with investors. Investors may need to occasionally do a strategic review of the equity portion of the portfolio. Knowing exactly what is held may help the investor when the time comes to make some adjustments.

In addition to Capex to PPE we can look at Cash Flow to Capex. This ration compares a stock’s operating cash flow to its capital expenditure and can identify if a firm can generate enough cash to meet investment needs. Investors are looking for a ratio greater than one, which indicates that the firm can meet that need. Comparing to other firms in the same industry is relevant for this ratio. Origin Energy Limited (ASX:ORG)’s Cash Flow to Capex stands at 3.978462.

Investors might be trying to figure out the best way to approach the stock market. After creating a plan that includes a list of stocks to purchase, investors may be looking to gauge the best time to enter the trade. With markets still cruising along at high altitudes, investors may be worried about buying at the top. Most individuals would probably agree that getting out before the market drops would be the best play. Obviously this is much easier said than done. If the warning signs were blatant, everyone would know exactly when to sell and when to re-buy. When the stock market has a big decline, the natural instinct is generally to sell in order to protect gains or eliminate further losses. Trying to time the market can have negative implications for investors who are not prepared to handle extremely volatile market conditions. Being prepared for any sudden change in the overall economy or stock market conditions may help the investor stay afloat for the long haul.