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Zacks.com featured highlights include Encore Wire, ecnoglass, Universal Logistics Holdings and Cumulus Media

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – June 30, 2022 – Stocks in this week’s article are Encore Wire Corp. , Tecnoglass Inc. (TGLS - Free Report) , Universal Logistics Holdings, Inc. (ULH - Free Report) and Cumulus Media Inc. (CMLS - Free Report)

4 Stocks with Solid Net Profit Margins You Should Pick Up Now

The primary purpose of a business is to generate profits that can be reinvested in expansion or utilized for rewarding shareholders. Net profit margin is an effective tool to measure the profits reaped by a business.

A higher net margin underlines a company's efficiency in translating sales into actual profits. Moreover, this metric gives insight into how well a company is run and the headwinds weighing on it. Encore Wire Corp., Tecnoglass Inc., Universal Logistics Holdings, Inc. and Cumulus Media Inc. boast solid net profit margins.

Net Profit Margin = Net profit/Sales * 100.

In simple terms, net profit is the amount a company retains after deducting all costs, interest, depreciation, taxes and other expenses. In fact, the net profit margin can turn out to be a potent point of reference to gauge the strength of a company's operations and its cost-control measures.

Also, higher net profit is essential for rewarding stakeholders. Further, strength in the metric not only attracts investors but also draws well-skilled employees who eventually enhance a business' value.

Moreover, a higher net profit margin compared with its peers provides a company with a competitive edge.

Pros and Cons

Net profit margin helps investors gain clarity on a company's business model in terms of pricing policy, cost structure and manufacturing efficiency. Hence, a strong net profit margin is preferred by all classes of investors.

However, net profit margin, as an investment criterion, has its share of pitfalls. The metric varies widely from industry to industry. While net income is a key metric for investment measurement in traditional industries, it is not that important for technology companies.

In addition, the difference in accounting treatment of various items — especially non-cash expenses like depreciation and stock-based compensation — makes comparison a daunting task.

Furthermore, for companies preferring to grow with debt instead of equity funding, higher interest expenses usually weigh on net profit. In such cases, the measure is rendered ineffective while analyzing a company's performance.

Here we have picked four stocks — Encore Wire, Tecnoglass, Universal Logistics and Cumulus Media — from the 57 stocks that qualified the screen:

Encore Wire is a low-cost manufacturer of copper electrical building wire and cable. The company is a significant supplier of both residential wire for interior electrical wiring in homes, apartments and manufactured housing, as well as building wire for electrical distribution in commercial and industrial buildings. Encore Wire sports a Zacks Rank of 1, at present, and has a VGM Score of A.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Encore Wire's 2022 earnings has been revised upward to $19.18 per share from $10.74 in the past 60 days. WIRE surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 323.9%.

Tecnoglass is engaged in the manufacturing and sale of architectural glass and windows and aluminum products for the residential and commercial construction industries. At present, the stock sports a Zacks Rank #1 and has a VGM Score of A.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.24 for Tecnoglass' current-year earnings has moved 12 cents north in the past 60 days. TGLS surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 28.3%.

Universal Logistics is a provider of customized transportation and logistics solutions. It offers services across its entire supply chain, including truckload, brokerage, intermodal, dedicated and value-added services. Universal Logistics currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 and has a VGM Score of A.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.55 for Universal Logistics' 2022 earnings has moved 40% north in the past 60 days. ULH surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate thrice in the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 61.3%.

Cumulus Media is a radio broadcasting company. It owns and operates radio stations, which provide local programs, music, sports, entertainment, news and advertising solutions. The company currently carries a Zacks Rank of 1 and has a VGM Score of A.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Cumulus Media's 2022 earnings has been revised upward to $2.05 per share from $1.87 in the past 60 days. CMLS surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate thrice in the trailing four quarters while missing the same on one occasion, the average surprise being 108.1%.

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For the rest of this Screen of the Week article please visit Zacks.com at: https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/1945520/4-stocks-with-solid-net-profit-margin-you-should-pick-now

Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material.

About Screen of the Week

Zacks.com created the first and best screening system on the web earning the distinction as the "#1 site for screening stocks" by Money Magazine.  But powerful screening tools is just the start. That is why Zacks created the Screen of the Week to highlight profitable stock picking strategies that investors can actively use.

Strong Stocks that Should Be in the News

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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performancefor information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.


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Cumulus Media, Inc. (CMLS) - free report >>

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