Complete Company Analysis - Case Study
Apply all financial ratio concepts in a comprehensive real-world company analysis.
Learning Objectives
- Apply systematic ratio analysis to a real company
- Integrate valuation, profitability, and financial strength metrics
- Draw investment conclusions from ratio analysis
- Identify strengths, weaknesses, and key questions
Complete Company Analysis - Case Study#
Let's put everything together with a comprehensive ratio analysis. We'll analyze a fictional but realistic company, "TechMed Solutions," a healthcare technology company, using the framework and ratios learned throughout this course.
Case Study Company: TechMed Solutions
- Industry: Healthcare Technology (SaaS)
- Market Cap: $8.5 billion
- Stock Price: $85
- Business: Cloud-based electronic health records and practice management software
Step 1: Gather Key Data#
Income Statement Data (Latest Year)#
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Revenue | $1,200M |
| Cost of Revenue | $360M |
| Gross Profit | $840M |
| Operating Expenses | $600M |
| Operating Income | $240M |
| Interest Expense | $25M |
| Pre-tax Income | $215M |
| Net Income | $170M |
| Shares Outstanding | 100M |
Balance Sheet Data#
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Cash | $400M |
| Accounts Receivable | $180M |
| Total Current Assets | $620M |
| Total Assets | $2,000M |
| Accounts Payable | $90M |
| Current Liabilities | $280M |
| Long-term Debt | $500M |
| Total Liabilities | $880M |
| Shareholders' Equity | $1,120M |
Cash Flow Data#
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Operating Cash Flow | $280M |
| Capital Expenditures | $80M |
| Free Cash Flow | $200M |
Additional Data#
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Prior Year Revenue | $960M |
| Prior Year EPS | $1.40 |
| Annual Dividend | $0.50 |
| 5-Year Avg ROE | 14% |
Step 2: Calculate Key Ratios#
Valuation Ratios#
| Ratio | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| EPS | $170M / 100M | $1.70 |
| P/E Ratio | $85 / $1.70 | 50x |
| P/B Ratio | $8,500M / $1,120M | 7.6x |
| P/S Ratio | $8,500M / $1,200M | 7.1x |
| EV | $8,500M + $500M - $400M | $8,600M |
| EV/Revenue | $8,600M / $1,200M | 7.2x |
| EV/EBITDA | $8,600M / $320M* | 26.9x |
| P/FCF | $8,500M / $200M | 42.5x |
| FCF Yield | $200M / $8,500M | 2.4% |
*EBITDA estimated as Operating Income + $80M D&A
Profitability Ratios#
| Ratio | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | $840M / $1,200M | 70% |
| Operating Margin | $240M / $1,200M | 20% |
| Net Margin | $170M / $1,200M | 14.2% |
| ROE | $170M / $1,120M | 15.2% |
| ROA | $170M / $2,000M | 8.5% |
Financial Strength Ratios#
| Ratio | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio | $620M / $280M | 2.2x |
| Quick Ratio | ($620M - $40M) / $280M | 2.1x |
| Debt/Equity | $500M / $1,120M | 0.45x |
| Interest Coverage | $240M / $25M | 9.6x |
| Debt/EBITDA | $500M / $320M | 1.6x |
Efficiency & Growth Ratios#
| Ratio | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Asset Turnover | $1,200M / $2,000M | 0.6x |
| Revenue Growth | ($1,200M - $960M) / $960M | 25% |
| EPS Growth | ($1.70 - $1.40) / $1.40 | 21.4% |
| Rule of 40 | 25% + 20% | 45% |
| FCF Conversion | $200M / $170M | 118% |
Dividend Ratios#
| Ratio | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield | $0.50 / $85 | 0.6% |
| Payout Ratio | $0.50 / $1.70 | 29% |
| FCF Coverage | $200M / $50M | 4.0x |
Step 3: Industry Comparison#
TechMed vs. Healthcare IT Peers#
| Metric | TechMed | Peer Avg | Industry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth | 25% | 18% | 15% |
| Gross Margin | 70% | 68% | 65% |
| Operating Margin | 20% | 18% | 16% |
| ROE | 15.2% | 14% | 13% |
| D/E | 0.45x | 0.55x | 0.5x |
| P/E | 50x | 45x | 40x |
| EV/Revenue | 7.2x | 6.5x | 5.5x |
Observations:
- Above-average growth and margins
- Slightly premium valuation vs. peers
- Conservative capital structure
- Strong competitive position
Step 4: Trend Analysis#
5-Year Trend#
| Year | Revenue | Net Margin | ROE | D/E |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $600M | 10% | 12% | 0.6 |
| 2021 | $720M | 11% | 13% | 0.55 |
| 2022 | $850M | 12% | 13.5% | 0.5 |
| 2023 | $960M | 13% | 14% | 0.48 |
| 2024 | $1,200M | 14.2% | 15.2% | 0.45 |
Trend Assessment:
- ✅ Revenue: Strong, consistent growth (CAGR: 19%)
- ✅ Net Margin: Steadily improving (scale benefits)
- ✅ ROE: Consistently improving
- ✅ D/E: Declining (strengthening balance sheet)
All trends positive—excellent execution.
Step 5: Integrated Assessment#
Strengths#
| Strength | Evidence |
|---|---|
| Strong growth | 25% revenue growth, above peers |
| High-quality SaaS model | 70% gross margin |
| Improving profitability | Margins expanding yearly |
| Conservative balance sheet | D/E 0.45x, Interest Coverage 9.6x |
| Excellent FCF conversion | 118% of net income |
| Passes Rule of 40 | 45% (25% growth + 20% margin) |
Concerns#
| Concern | Evidence | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Premium valuation | P/E 50x vs. 40x industry | Medium |
| Low dividend yield | 0.6% | Low (growth focus) |
| Customer concentration? | Need to check | Unknown |
| Competitive moat? | Need qualitative analysis | Unknown |
Key Questions for Further Research#
- Revenue quality: What is net revenue retention? Are customers expanding?
- Competitive position: Market share trend? Competitive threats?
- Customer concentration: Top 10 customers as % of revenue?
- Management: Insider ownership? Track record?
- Growth runway: Total addressable market vs. current penetration?
Step 6: Valuation Assessment#
Is the Valuation Justified?#
| Factor | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Growth premium | 25% growth justifies some premium over industry |
| Margin trajectory | Improving margins support higher multiple |
| Financial strength | No debt risk discount needed |
| Quality of earnings | FCF conversion excellent |
| Industry position | Leader justifies premium |
PEG Analysis#
| Metric | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| P/E | 50x | |
| EPS Growth | 21.4% | |
| PEG Ratio | 50 / 21.4 | 2.3x |
PEG of 2.3x is above the typical 1.0-2.0 "fair" range, suggesting the stock is priced optimistically.
Reverse DCF Implied Growth#
At current valuation, the market expects approximately 20%+ annual earnings growth for 5+ years. Is this achievable?
- TAM must be large enough
- Competitive position must hold
- Margin expansion must continue
Step 7: Investment Conclusion#
Summary Scorecard#
| Category | Rating | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Valuation | ⭐⭐⭐ | Premium, but possibly justified |
| Profitability | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Excellent and improving |
| Financial Strength | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Very strong |
| Efficiency | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Good for software |
| Growth | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Excellent |
Investment Thesis#
TechMed Solutions is a high-quality healthcare IT company with:
- Strong competitive position (above-peer metrics)
- Excellent growth trajectory (25% revenue growth)
- Improving profitability (margins expanding)
- Conservative balance sheet (D/E 0.45x)
- Superior FCF generation (118% conversion)
However:
- Valuation is premium (P/E 50x, PEG 2.3x)
- Market expectations are high (20%+ growth priced in)
- Any growth disappointment could hit the stock hard
Conclusion: High-quality company at a full valuation. Suitable for growth-oriented investors willing to pay for quality. Value investors should wait for a better entry point. Add to watchlist; consider buying on 15-20% pullback.
Analysis Framework Recap
This case study followed the systematic approach:
- Gather data (IS, BS, CF)
- Calculate ratios (Valuation, Profitability, Strength, Efficiency, Growth)
- Compare to peers and industry
- Analyze trends
- Integrate assessment
- Evaluate valuation
- Draw conclusions
Key Takeaways
- Systematic analysis covers: Valuation → Profitability → Financial Strength → Efficiency → Growth
- Compare ratios to peers, industry medians, and company's own history
- Trend direction matters as much as absolute levels
- Quality companies can justify premium valuations—but quantify expectations
- PEG ratio helps assess growth-adjusted valuation
- Always identify key questions for further research
- Investment conclusions should synthesize all ratio categories
- High quality at high prices may be less attractive than good quality at fair prices