Stocks

Is Block (SQ) Poised for Growth? Analyzing Its Potentials for Market Outperformance

Published November 10, 2023

Investors often seek growth stocks for their potential to deliver above-average financial growth and exceptional returns, and Block SQ is a stock that seemingly fits this description. Identifying a true growth stock can be challenging; such stocks carry inherent risks and volatility, and if their growth phase has plateaued, investors might face notable losses.

However, utilizing tools like the Zacks Growth Style Score, which is part of the Zacks Style Scores system, can help in assessing a company's real growth prospects, rather than just traditional growth metrics.

Block SQ, a company that provides mobile payment services and creates tools for merchants to process card payments, currently stands out as a recommended stock by Zacks' proprietary system. With a top Zacks Rank and a strong Growth Score, Block is well-positioned for potential growth.

Key Factors Contributing to Block's Growth Potential

Several factors contribute to making Block a compelling growth stock, including its earnings growth, asset utilization ratio, and encouraging earnings estimate revisions.

Earnings Growth

For growth investors, earnings growth is critical, and Block's historical EPS growth rate is an impressive 38.9%. Focusing on future prospects, Block's EPS is projected to grow by 83.6% this year, outpacing the industry's average projection of 35.6%. Such a surge in earnings growth could signify robust prospects for the company and potential for stock price appreciation.

Asset Utilization Efficiency

Asset utilization ratio, or S/TA ratio, is a metric that indicates how efficiently a company is using its assets to generate sales. It's an often overlooked yet crucial aspect of a growth stock. Block boasts an S/TA ratio of 0.66, which means it generates $0.66 in sales for every dollar in assets, surpassing the industry average of 0.57 and indicating a more effective use of company assets.

Sales Growth Potential

Sales growth is integral to a company's growth narrative. Block is expected to see its sales grow by 23.9% this year, a sharp contrast to an industry average growth of 0%. Such impressive growth further solidifies Block's position as a growth-oriented stock.

Positive Earnings Estimate Revisions

Another aspect to consider is the trend in earnings estimate revisions, as there's a strong correlation between estimate revisions and short-term stock price movements. For Block, there has been an upward trend in earnings estimates. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased by 27.8% over the past month, reinforcing confidence in the company's earnings potential.

Conclusion

SQ has achieved a Zacks Rank #2 and a Growth Score of A, which are indicative of its solid growth prospects. When combined, these factors suggest that Block could be an attractive stock for growth investors.

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