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Here's Why Casey's (CASY) Deserves a Place in Your Portfolio
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Casey’s General Stores, Inc. (CASY - Free Report) is an appropriate investment option at the moment, as its shares have rallied approximately 18.4% in the past three months, outperforming the industry and the overall Retail Wholesale sector’s growth of 17.8% and 2%, respectively.
Further, investors can’t ignore the stock’s VGM Score of A, which is a testament to its sound fundamentals. Moreover, the stock is trading close to its 52-week high of $159.29 and is likely to attain new highs.
Let’s delve deeper into the factors that give us enough reasons to be optimistic about the stock.
Value-Creation Plan — a Major Growth Driver
This Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) company is on track with its value-creation plan to improve sales and profitability. The plan includes the new fleet card program, price and product optimization, loyalty program, digital engagements comprising mobile app and online ordering capabilities, cost-containment efforts and capital reallocation plan.
The company launched the new Casey’s.com e-commerce website, initiated fuel price optimization platform across all outlets and will soon launch enhanced mobile app. At the end of fiscal 2019, the new fleet card program has more than 2,000 active cards and 500 new accounts.
Fleet Card Program to Aid Top Line
According to the company, the fleet card program, which involves managing and monitoring of initial sales, back-end system processing, billing and other consumer-oriented services, is likely to lift fuel sales. The company’s digitalization efforts will help create a seamless shopping experience online as well as in-store, and facilitate same-store sales growth.
Further, the company’s price and product optimization strategy will help augment sales and margin. The company projects fuel margin of 20.5-22.5 cents per gallon for fiscal 2020 compared with 20.3 cents reported in fiscal 2019.
Management envisions fiscal 2020 grocery and other merchandise same-store sales to increase 2.5-4%, with margin expected between 32% and 33%. Also, prepared food and fountain same-store sales are anticipated to increase 3-6%, with margin between 61% and 63% for fiscal 2020.
Store-Expansion Plans Bode Well
The company is poised on its store-expansion plans. In this regard, it constructed 56 stores, acquired 24 and closed 10 in fiscal 2019. Casey’s replaced eight stores and have eight acquisition stores under agreement to purchase. Moreover, it plans to construct 60 and acquire 25 stores in fiscal 2020.
Bottom Line
All said, we are optimistic that Casey’s growth plans will help keep its stellar show on.
Dollar General (DG - Free Report) has an average positive earnings surprise of 1.6% in the trailing four quarters. It carries a Zacks Rank #2.
Target Corp. (TGT - Free Report) has a long-term earnings growth rate of 7.1% and a Zacks Rank #2.
More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone!
It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market.
Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020.
Image: Bigstock
Here's Why Casey's (CASY) Deserves a Place in Your Portfolio
Casey’s General Stores, Inc. (CASY - Free Report) is an appropriate investment option at the moment, as its shares have rallied approximately 18.4% in the past three months, outperforming the industry and the overall Retail Wholesale sector’s growth of 17.8% and 2%, respectively.
Further, investors can’t ignore the stock’s VGM Score of A, which is a testament to its sound fundamentals. Moreover, the stock is trading close to its 52-week high of $159.29 and is likely to attain new highs.
Let’s delve deeper into the factors that give us enough reasons to be optimistic about the stock.
Value-Creation Plan — a Major Growth Driver
This Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) company is on track with its value-creation plan to improve sales and profitability. The plan includes the new fleet card program, price and product optimization, loyalty program, digital engagements comprising mobile app and online ordering capabilities, cost-containment efforts and capital reallocation plan.
The company launched the new Casey’s.com e-commerce website, initiated fuel price optimization platform across all outlets and will soon launch enhanced mobile app. At the end of fiscal 2019, the new fleet card program has more than 2,000 active cards and 500 new accounts.
Fleet Card Program to Aid Top Line
According to the company, the fleet card program, which involves managing and monitoring of initial sales, back-end system processing, billing and other consumer-oriented services, is likely to lift fuel sales. The company’s digitalization efforts will help create a seamless shopping experience online as well as in-store, and facilitate same-store sales growth.
Further, the company’s price and product optimization strategy will help augment sales and margin. The company projects fuel margin of 20.5-22.5 cents per gallon for fiscal 2020 compared with 20.3 cents reported in fiscal 2019.
Management envisions fiscal 2020 grocery and other merchandise same-store sales to increase 2.5-4%, with margin expected between 32% and 33%. Also, prepared food and fountain same-store sales are anticipated to increase 3-6%, with margin between 61% and 63% for fiscal 2020.
Store-Expansion Plans Bode Well
The company is poised on its store-expansion plans. In this regard, it constructed 56 stores, acquired 24 and closed 10 in fiscal 2019. Casey’s replaced eight stores and have eight acquisition stores under agreement to purchase. Moreover, it plans to construct 60 and acquire 25 stores in fiscal 2020.
Bottom Line
All said, we are optimistic that Casey’s growth plans will help keep its stellar show on.
3 More Stocks to Bank On
Costco (COST - Free Report) has a long-term earnings growth rate of 8.9% and a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Dollar General (DG - Free Report) has an average positive earnings surprise of 1.6% in the trailing four quarters. It carries a Zacks Rank #2.
Target Corp. (TGT - Free Report) has a long-term earnings growth rate of 7.1% and a Zacks Rank #2.
More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone!
It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market.
Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020.
Click here for the 6 trades >>