Add It To Your Radar Screen

I love to find companies that have long-term track records of creating wealth on the stock market. Of course long-term in the investment business can mean a variety of time horizons depending on the type of investor you are. In my mind, long-term could mean five years out.

When you come across a company that’s been delivering steady growth, both financially and on the stock market, it is almost always worth looking into. Past performance is not indicative of the future, but at least it gives you one more piece of information to consider when analyzing a stock.

It also serves to illustrate that a company’s been doing something right. With a long-term track record of success, you can be reasonably assured that the company (or stock) isn’t a one-time wonder, but a real sustainable business selling great products and making customers happy.

There are many companies out there that have great long-term track records of success, but one that comes to mind is Daktronics Inc. (NASDAQ/DAKT). This is a company that I’ve been following for a number of years.

Daktronics is in the business of manufacturing and installing display screens. The company makes everything from large, computer-programmed scoreboards that are installed in large sports stadiums, to road signs and ticker tapes. The company is based in Brookings, South Dakota, and is considered to be one of the best in the scoreboard/signage business. The company’s founder has a long-term track record of winning such awards as “Entrepreneur of the Year” and the stock has appreciated steadily since 1998. From $5 to its current $45 per share, this company is a winner.

In its latest quarterly report, Daktronics reported record financial results once again, with fiscal fourth quarter revenues growing to $90 million, up from $61 million in the comparable quarter. Net income more than doubled to $7.1 million, or $0.35 per diluted share, as compared to net income of $3.0 million, or $0.15 per diluted share.

Not surprisingly, the stock is expensive, but then again, this is a really good company. So, a company like Daktronics is always worth following. This one is worth putting on your radar screen, and when the stock experiences a pullback, it will be worth considering as an investment.