Motorola Solutions Stock Has More Than Doubled Market Returns Since 2018- Here’s Why

Motorola Solutions Inc. (NYSE: MSI) stock price gained 107% from $115 in 2018 end, to around $238 currently, primarily due to favorable changes in its P/S multiple. Additionally, the company also witnessed a rise in revenue over this period, and revenue per share has increased, despite a marginal rise in the outstanding share count. Finally, over the same period, the S&P 500 returned around 50%, meaning that MSI stock managed to more than double the broader market return since late-2018.

In our interactive dashboard, Why Motorola Solutions Stock Moved: MSI Stock Has Gained 107% Since 2018, we break down the factors behind this move.

MSI’s Total Revenue has grown 15% from $7.3 billion in FY 2018 to $8.5 billion on an LTM basis

• MSI’s total revenue first rose from $7.3 billion in FY ’18 to $7.9 billion in FY ’19, before dropping to $7.4 billion in FY ’20 as the pandemic hampered sales.
• However, revenues picked up and rose to $8.2 billion, as of the company’s most recent FY ’21 earnings. Revenues currently stand even higher at $8.5 billion currently, on an LTM basis.
• MSI’s revenue comes evenly from both products and services, with the services segment defining more of the company’s overall sales growth over the past few years, and currently standing at 44% of the company’s total sales.
• For details about MSI revenues and comparison to peers, see Motorola Solutions Revenue Comparison

Revenue per share increased 13% from $44.58 in 2018 to $50.46 currently

• MSI revenue rose from $7.3 billion in 2018 to $8.5 billion currently, while the outstanding share count increased from 164.7 million in 2018 to 167.6 million currently.
• Due to this, RPS has risen from $44.58 in FY ’18 to $50.46 currently.

Price-To-Sales (P/S) multiple for MSI rose from 2.6x in FY ’18 to 5.6x in FY ’21 but has pulled back to 4.7x currently, still around 1.8x higher than its FY ’18 level

• Due to MSI’s steady performance since 2018-end, its P/S multiple rose strongly from 2.6x in FY ’18 to 5.6x in FY ’21.
• However, amidst concerns around current economic conditions, the P/S multiple has pulled back and currently stands at around 4.7x.
• For additional details about the company’s EBITDA and comparison to peers, see Motorola Solutions EBITDA Comparison.

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