Is Comerica Inc (CMA) Set to Underperform? Analyzing the Factors Limiting Growth

Exploring the Challenges Facing Comerica Inc in the Banking Sector

Long-established in the Banks industry, Comerica Inc (CMA, Financial) has enjoyed a stellar reputation. It has recently witnessed a daily gain of 4.67%, juxtaposed with a three-month change of 7.94%. However, fresh insights from the GF Score hint at potential headwinds. Notably, its diminished rankings in financial strength, growth, and valuation suggest that the company might not live up to its historical performance. Join us as we dive deep into these pivotal metrics to unravel the evolving narrative of Comerica Inc.

What Is the GF Score?

The GF Score is a stock performance ranking system developed by GuruFocus using five aspects of valuation, which has been found to be closely correlated to the long-term performances of stocks by backtesting from 2006 to 2021. The stocks with a higher GF Score generally generate higher returns than those with a lower GF Score. Therefore, when picking stocks, investors should invest in companies with high GF Scores. The GF Score ranges from 0 to 100, with 100 as the highest rank.

Based on the above method, GuruFocus assigned Comerica Inc a GF Score of 67 out of 100, which signals poor future outperformance potential.

Understanding Comerica Inc's Business

Comerica Inc is a financial services company headquartered in Dallas, primarily focused on relationship-based commercial banking. With a market cap of $7.28 billion and sales of $3.39 billion, Comerica operates in key regions including Texas, California, and Michigan, with additional locations in Arizona, Florida, and several other states, as well as Canada and Mexico. Despite its broad geographic presence and substantial market cap, the company faces significant challenges reflected in its financial metrics.

Financial Strength Breakdown

Comerica Inc's financial strength indicators present some concerning insights about the company's balance sheet health. The company's low cash-to-debt ratio at 0.72 indicates a struggle in handling existing debt levels. Additionally, the company's debt-to-Ebitda ratio is 9999, which is above Joel Tillinghast's warning level of 4 and is worse than 0% of 31 companies in the Banks industry. Tillinghast said in his book “Big Money Think's Small: Biases, Blind Spots, and Smarter Investing” that a high debt-to-Ebitda ratio can be a red flag unless tangible assets cover the debt.

Profitability Breakdown

Comerica Inc's low Profitability rank can also raise warning signals. The company's Net Margin has declined over the past five years (-31.79%), as shown by the following data: 2019: 35.96; 2020: 17.07; 2021: 39.37; 2022: 32.57; 2023: 24.53.

Growth Prospects

A lack of significant growth is another area where Comerica Inc seems to falter, as evidenced by the company's low Growth rank. Lastly, Comerica Inc's predictability rank is just one star out of five, adding to investor uncertainty regarding revenue and earnings consistency.

Next Steps

Considering Comerica Inc's financial strength, profitability, and growth metrics, the GF Score highlights the firm's unparalleled position for potential underperformance. Investors seeking more robust investment opportunities may consider exploring other companies with stronger GF Scores using the following screener link: GF Score Screen.

This article, generated by GuruFocus, is designed to provide general insights and is not tailored financial advice. Our commentary is rooted in historical data and analyst projections, utilizing an impartial methodology, and is not intended to serve as specific investment guidance. It does not formulate a recommendation to purchase or divest any stock and does not consider individual investment objectives or financial circumstances. Our objective is to deliver long-term, fundamental data-driven analysis. Be aware that our analysis might not incorporate the most recent, price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative information. GuruFocus holds no position in the stocks mentioned herein.

Disclosures

I/We may personally own shares in some of the companies mentioned above. However, those positions are not material to either the company or to my/our portfolios.