MPAA MOTORCAR PARTS OF AMERICA INC

Nasdaq Motor Vehicle Parts & Accessories NY CIK: 0000918251
AI RATING
SELL
72% Confidence

Investment Thesis

Despite positive EPS growth, MPAA exhibits concerning operational fundamentals with razor-thin net margins (0.5%) and weak returns on equity (1.0%) and assets (0.3%), indicating poor capital efficiency and profitability. The company's deteriorating interest coverage (1.8x) and high liabilities relative to assets suggest financial stress, while the modest free cash flow generation provides limited cushion for debt servicing or strategic initiatives.

Strengths

  • + Positive free cash flow generation of $21.4M with 3.7% FCF margin demonstrates ability to convert revenue to cash
  • + Moderate debt burden with 0.10x debt-to-equity ratio and manageable long-term debt of $25.1M relative to asset base
  • + Current ratio of 1.43x indicates adequate short-term liquidity to meet obligations

Risks

  • ! Extremely low net profit margin of 0.5% shows minimal earnings per dollar of revenue with limited room for adverse conditions
  • ! Weak return metrics (ROE 1.0%, ROA 0.3%) indicate severe inefficiency in deploying shareholder capital and assets
  • ! Quick ratio of 0.41x reveals significant working capital stress when excluding inventory; low interest coverage of 1.8x provides minimal protection against rate increases or operational deterioration

Key Metrics to Watch

Financial Metrics

Revenue
577.5M
Net Income
2.7M
EPS (Diluted)
$0.13
Free Cash Flow
21.4M
Total Assets
991.3M
Cash
17.5M

Profitability Ratios

Gross Margin 19.0%
Operating Margin 7.8%
Net Margin 0.5%
ROE 1.0%
ROA 0.3%
FCF Margin 3.7%

Balance Sheet & Liquidity

Current Ratio
1.43x
Quick Ratio
0.41x
Debt/Equity
0.10x
Debt/Assets
73.9%
Interest Coverage
1.83x
Long-term Debt
25.1M
Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI based on publicly available SEC EDGAR filings. It does not include stock price data and should not be considered financial advice. All fundamental data is sourced from SEC public domain filings. Always conduct your own research before making investment decisions.
Data Source: SEC EDGAR | Analysis Date: 2026-04-02T05:04:11.281160 | Data as of: 2025-12-31 | Powered by Claude AI