Key Points
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Tilray’s business has gotten bigger over the years, but that’s largely due to acquisitions.
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The company continues to struggle with profitability.
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Many investors see it as a way to potentially capitalize on opportunities in the U.S. marijuana market, should legalization eventually take place.
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Tilray Brands (NASDAQ: TLRY) is a leading cannabis company based in Canada that has been growing its operations all over the world. It’s also expanded into beverages in a bid to diversify its operations and pursue even more growth opportunities.
However, while the company has been growing over the years, it remains unprofitable. And many investors bought the cannabis stock in the hopes that it would one day be able to capitalize on opportunities in the U.S. if legalization takes place — something that hasn’t happened yet and may not happen anytime soon.
This year, the marijuana stock is down more than 50%. It’s a risky investment, but has its value gotten so low that it’s worth buying despite the challenges it’s facing?
Tilray’s business is getting bigger, but whether it’s better is debatable
Tilray has leaned on acquisitions to grow its business over the years, particularly as it has expanded its alcohol segment, but that isn’t necessarily a surefire recipe for success. Acquisitions can be an easy way to generate more revenue, but there’s also plenty of work involved to eliminate inefficiencies and unnecessary expenses, so they’re accretive to the bottom line.
The company’s most recent financial results show that for the nine-month period ending Feb. 28, Tilray’s net revenue rose by a fairly modest 6% year over year, totaling $633.7 million. However, despite the increase, its gross profit actually declined by 2% due to worsening margins. And the company incurred an operating loss of $46.6 million. With limited growth and no profitability, it’s difficult to make the case that the stock is worth investing in, despite all of its acquisitions.
The stock may look cheap, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good buy
For investors who may be tempted to buy the dip on Tilray’s stock, it may be worthwhile to look at the longer, five-year trajectory of the stock. During that longer time frame, the stock has plummeted a massive 97%. Time and time again, investors along the way were likely confident the stock had bottomed out and was destined to rally, only to leave them with significant losses and disappointment.
When a stock has such troubling fundamentals and financials as Tilray, and its growth prospects are questionable, there’s no magic price that suddenly makes it worth buying. The business needs to prove to investors that it’s worth investing in, and Tilray is nowhere near that point. Simply acquiring more companies doesn’t fix its problems. In fact, I’d argue it needs to get leaner and smaller, rather than larger and bloated, just to show growth. While it may look cheap right now, I wouldn’t be surprised if it looks even cheaper in the future.
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David Jagielski, CPA has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Tilray Brands. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
