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Stella-Jones (TSE:SJ)
:SJ

Stella-Jones (SJ) AI Stock Analysis

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Stella-Jones

(OTC:SJ)

76Outperform
Stella-Jones demonstrates strong financial performance with consistent revenue growth and efficient cash management. The company's fair valuation and strategic initiatives position it well for continued growth despite some technical weaknesses and challenges in utility pole volumes. The overall score reflects a stable and promising outlook, tempered by the current technical analysis indicators.

Stella-Jones (SJ) vs. S&P 500 (SPY)

Stella-Jones Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionStella-Jones Inc. is a leading North American manufacturer and marketer of pressure-treated wood products. The company operates primarily in two sectors: the residential and industrial markets. Its core products include railway ties, utility poles, residential lumber, and industrial wood products. Stella-Jones serves a wide range of customers, including railroads, electrical utilities, and the construction industry, providing essential materials for infrastructure development and maintenance.
How the Company Makes MoneyStella-Jones generates revenue through the sale of pressure-treated wood products, with its primary revenue streams being railway ties and utility poles. The company secures long-term contracts with major railroads and utility companies, ensuring a consistent demand for its products. Additionally, Stella-Jones benefits from strategic acquisitions that expand its market presence and enhance its production capabilities. The company also leverages its extensive distribution network to efficiently supply wood products to residential and industrial customers, contributing to its overall earnings.

Stella-Jones Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Stella-Jones exhibits strong financial health characterized by consistent revenue growth, solid profitability margins, and effective cash management. The company maintains a balanced approach to leverage and equity, enhancing its financial stability. Overall, Stella-Jones is in a strong financial position with positive growth trends and efficient operations.
Income Statement
85
Very Positive
Stella-Jones has demonstrated strong revenue growth with a 4.52% increase from 2023 to 2024. The company also maintains healthy profitability margins with a gross profit margin of 20.86% and a net profit margin of 9.19% in 2024. EBIT and EBITDA margins are strong at 14.50% and 18.24%, respectively, indicating efficient operational management.
Balance Sheet
78
Positive
The balance sheet reflects a stable capital structure with a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.88, indicating moderate leverage. The return on equity is solid at 16.44%, showcasing effective use of equity funds. The equity ratio of 47.31% suggests a well-balanced financing mix between debt and equity.
Cash Flow
92
Very Positive
Stella-Jones reported significant improvement in free cash flow, growing from negative in 2023 to a positive $265 million in 2024. The operating cash flow to net income ratio of 1.28 indicates robust cash generation relative to net income, and the free cash flow to net income ratio of 0.83 reflects efficient capital expenditures.
Breakdown
Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income StatementTotal Revenue
3.47B3.32B3.06B2.75B2.55B
Gross Profit
724.00M688.00M524.00M456.00M446.00M
EBIT
503.00M499.00M359.00M326.00M309.00M
EBITDA
633.00M608.00M448.00M400.00M385.00M
Net Income Common Stockholders
319.00M326.00M241.00M227.00M210.00M
Balance SheetCash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments
50.00M0.00-167.00M-144.00M-139.00M
Total Assets
4.10B3.71B3.07B2.67B2.43B
Total Debt
1.70B1.61B1.11B878.00M745.00M
Net Debt
1.65B1.61B1.27B1.02B884.00M
Total Liabilities
2.16B2.06B1.52B1.22B1.05B
Stockholders Equity
1.94B1.65B1.56B1.45B1.37B
Cash FlowFree Cash Flow
265.00M-58.00M147.00M187.00M123.00M
Operating Cash Flow
408.00M107.00M255.00M251.00M178.00M
Investing Cash Flow
-137.00M-258.00M-154.00M-193.00M-54.00M
Financing Cash Flow
-221.00M151.00M-101.00M-58.00M-124.00M

Stella-Jones Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price67.54
Price Trends
50DMA
69.90
Negative
100DMA
72.21
Negative
200DMA
80.77
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.77
Positive
RSI
44.98
Neutral
STOCH
30.47
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For TSE:SJ, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 67.54 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 68.96, below the 50-day MA of 69.90, and below the 200-day MA of 80.77, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -0.77 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 44.98 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 30.47 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for TSE:SJ.

Stella-Jones Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (47)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
TSSJ
76
Outperform
C$3.76B11.7917.93%1.79%4.52%0.51%
TSADN
67
Neutral
C$306.90M13.926.61%6.67%24.29%-27.59%
TSIFP
50
Neutral
$786.21M-18.73%-8.81%-13.99%
TSCFP
48
Neutral
C$1.80B-18.83%-3.20%-107.88%
47
Neutral
$2.64B-3.98-26.97%3.35%2.55%-29.66%
TSCFF
43
Neutral
C$12.56M-21.37%0.29%9.05%
* Basic Materials Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
TSE:SJ
Stella-Jones
67.54
-5.55
-7.60%
TSE:IFP
Interfor
14.91
-5.21
-25.89%
TSE:CFP
Canfor
15.21
-1.04
-6.40%
TSE:CFF
Conifex Timber
0.32
-0.28
-46.67%
TSE:ADN
Acadian Timber
17.43
1.79
11.45%

Stella-Jones Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date: Feb 27, 2025 | % Change Since: -3.02% | Next Earnings Date: May 7, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
Stella-Jones demonstrated robust growth with consistent sales and EBITDA increases, strong performance in key segments, and significant capital return to shareholders. However, there were challenges with a decline in utility pole volumes and a softer Q4 EBITDA. Despite these challenges, the company's strategic initiatives and financial flexibility position it well for future growth.
Highlights
Consistent Sales and EBITDA Growth
Stella-Jones achieved a 5% increase in sales to $3.5 billion and a 4% growth in EBITDA to $633 million for the year 2024, maintaining an EBITDA margin of over 18%.
Strong Performance in Railway Ties and Residential Lumber
Railway ties sales grew by 15% in Q4 and achieved a mid-single-digit sales growth for the third consecutive year. Residential lumber sales increased by 12% organically in Q4, staying within the $600 million to $650 million target range.
Dividend Increase and Strong Capital Return
The company increased its dividend payout by 22% to $1.12 per share in 2024 and announced an 11% increase in the quarterly dividend to $0.31 per share, marking the 21st consecutive annual increase.
Successful Bond Offering
Stella-Jones completed an inaugural bond offering of $400 million for seven years, enhancing financial flexibility.
Commitment to Sustainability
Made significant strides in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, finalizing solar panel installations expected to cover 48% of a facility's electrical consumption.
Lowlights
Utility Poles Volume Decline
Utility pole volumes were down 4% in Q4 2024 compared to the same period last year, impacted by lower volumes for non-contract business.
Softness in Q4 EBITDA
Q4 EBITDA decreased by 4% to $150 million, affected by an unfavorable sales mix and non-recurring expenses.
Higher Net Debt to EBITDA Ratio
The leverage ratio increased to 2.6 times, slightly above the target range, due to the appreciation of the U.S. dollar.
Company Guidance
In Stella-Jones' fourth quarter earnings call for 2024, the company reported a 5% increase in annual sales to $3.5 billion, driven by a 6% organic growth in both utility poles and railway ties. EBITDA rose to $633 million, maintaining a margin of over 18%. For the fourth quarter, sales increased by 6% to $730 million, with utility poles generating $385 million in sales despite a 4% volume decline. Railway ties sales grew by 15% to $193 million, reflecting strong Class 1 demand. Residential lumber sales rose 12% to $93 million, ending the year within the $600 million to $650 million target range. The company maintained a disciplined capital allocation strategy, increasing its dividend by 22% to $1.12 per share, and initiating a normal course issuer bid. Stella-Jones reported $408 million in cash from operations and $275 million in free cash flow for the year. Looking forward, the company anticipates mid-single-digit growth in utility poles and low-single-digit growth for railway ties in 2025, while maintaining an EBITDA margin of at least 17%.

Stella-Jones Corporate Events

DividendsBusiness Operations and StrategyFinancial Disclosures
Stella-Jones Reports Strong 2024 Financial Results and Increases Dividend
Positive
Feb 27, 2025

Stella-Jones Inc. reported a 5% increase in annual sales to $3,469 million and an EBITDA margin of 18.2% for the year ending December 31, 2024. Despite softer market demand for utility poles, the company maintained strong operating cash flows and increased its quarterly dividend by 11%, reaffirming its financial objectives for 2023-2025. Looking forward to 2025, Stella-Jones aims to capitalize on the need to strengthen North America’s electrical grid and expand its offerings to infrastructure customers, focusing on optimizing its operating model and maintaining a healthy EBITDA margin to enhance shareholder value.

Glossary
OutperformA stock rated as "Outperform" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests that the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to the average returns of other stocks in the same sector or market index. Investors might consider this stock a good buying opportunity.
NeutralA stock rated as "Neutral" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly attractive nor unattractive for investment. Investors may consider holding onto the stock, as it is not expected to either significantly outperform or underperform the market.
UnderperformA stock rated as "Underperform" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests that the stock may deliver lower returns compared to the average returns of other stocks in the same sector or market index. Investors might consider selling the stock or avoiding it as an investment.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.