RXO: Expectations Seem Imaginary As Core Metrics Worsen In Q2

Andres Veurink 2.13K Followers Follow Summary RXO Inc. delivered strong 25% YoY revenue growth to $1.77B but failed to achieve earnings growth, with margins continuing to compress. Despite bullish market forecasts and a non-GAAP FWD EPS of $0.12, RXO's valuation appears unsustainably rich at 33x EV/EBITDA and 164x FWD P/E. Gross margin declined to 17% in Q2 from 21.2% last year, with negative operating cash flow and rising long-term debt signaling deteriorating fundamentals. I rate RXO a Sell, as structural issues, margin compression, and working capital strains outweigh short-term spot market gains and optimistic EPS projections. Miguel Perfectti/iStock via Getty Images A Rich Valuation With Even Richer Forecasts This must be like the 8th or 10th company now that I write about in a row that has just released their earnings report. Earnings seasons really are This article was written by Andres Veurink 2.13K Followers Follow With over a decade of institutional investment experience, I specialize in identifying growth opportunities at the intersection of technological disruption and macro-thematic energy shifts. I've spent the majority of that time at a hedge fund here in Rotterdam, working my way up as an analyst. My work reflects rigorous standards as I myself have a very high standard as to what I invest my money in. My primary coverage spans the technology sector—with a focus on SaaS and cloud infrastructure—and the energy and minerals markets. I tend to be very data and trend driven in my work, analyzing unit economics and supply chain gaps among a number of other often overlooked areas in business and industries.I find these offer incredible growth opportunities and are also very fun to research and follow. It's a very active space with plenty of news coming out each week. Work is my own thoughts and research is done only by myself. Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.