Stock Analysis on Net

Axon Enterprise Inc. (NASDAQ:AXON)

$22.49

This company has been moved to the archive! The financial data has not been updated since May 9, 2023.

Economic Value Added (EVA)

Microsoft Excel

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Economic Profit

Axon Enterprise Inc., economic profit calculation

US$ in thousands

Microsoft Excel
12 months ended: Dec 31, 2022 Dec 31, 2021 Dec 31, 2020 Dec 31, 2019 Dec 31, 2018
Net operating profit after taxes (NOPAT)1
Cost of capital2
Invested capital3
 
Economic profit4

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2018-12-31).

1 NOPAT. See details »

2 Cost of capital. See details »

3 Invested capital. See details »

4 2022 Calculation
Economic profit = NOPAT – Cost of capital × Invested capital
= × =


The analysis of the financial data reveals several notable trends and shifts over the five-year period.

Net Operating Profit After Taxes (NOPAT)
NOPAT displayed significant fluctuations across the years. It started at 78,057 thousand US dollars in 2018, then experienced a sharp decline in 2019 to 17,857 thousand. Following this, there was a recovery in 2020 with NOPAT increasing to 51,762 thousand, but it decreased again in 2021 to 38,523 thousand. In 2022, there was a substantial surge to 326,174 thousand US dollars, marking the highest value within the period.
Cost of Capital
The cost of capital remained relatively stable throughout the years, ranging narrowly from 12.32% to 12.87%. The highest rates were observed in 2019 and 2020 (12.87%), with a slight decline towards 2022, where it reached 12.32%.
Invested Capital
Invested capital saw a general upward trend. It decreased initially from 631,660 thousand in 2018 to 500,291 thousand in 2019 but then increased substantially to 722,746 thousand in 2020. This positive momentum continued with large jumps in 2021 and 2022, reaching 1,262,920 thousand and 1,607,800 thousand respectively, more than doubling the value from 2018 to 2022.
Economic Profit
Economic profit remained negative for four consecutive years, indicating that the returns were insufficient to cover the cost of capital during this period. Starting at -3,043 thousand in 2018, economic profit worsened sharply in 2019 and 2020 to -46,512 thousand and -41,226 thousand respectively. The decline intensified further in 2021, reaching its lowest point at -123,877 thousand. However, 2022 showed a remarkable turnaround with economic profit rising to 128,060 thousand, becoming positive for the first time in the five-year span.

In summary, the data reflects a period of initial challenges with NOPAT and economic profit declining steeply, despite stable cost of capital and fluctuating invested capital. The latter years saw increased investment alongside a notable recovery in profitability metrics, with 2022 being particularly strong, as evidenced by a dramatic rise in NOPAT and a shift to positive economic profit. This suggests improved operational efficiency and better utilization of invested capital in the most recent year.


Net Operating Profit after Taxes (NOPAT)

Axon Enterprise Inc., NOPAT calculation

US$ in thousands

Microsoft Excel
12 months ended: Dec 31, 2022 Dec 31, 2021 Dec 31, 2020 Dec 31, 2019 Dec 31, 2018
Net income (loss)
Deferred income tax expense (benefit)1
Increase (decrease) in allowance2
Increase (decrease) in deferred revenue3
Increase (decrease) in accrued warranty expense4
Increase (decrease) in equity equivalents5
Interest expense
Interest expense, operating lease liability6
Adjusted interest expense
Tax benefit of interest expense7
Adjusted interest expense, after taxes8
Net operating profit after taxes (NOPAT)

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2018-12-31).

1 Elimination of deferred tax expense. See details »

2 Addition of increase (decrease) in allowance.

3 Addition of increase (decrease) in deferred revenue.

4 Addition of increase (decrease) in accrued warranty expense.

5 Addition of increase (decrease) in equity equivalents to net income (loss).

6 2022 Calculation
Interest expense on capitalized operating leases = Operating lease liability × Discount rate
= × =

7 2022 Calculation
Tax benefit of interest expense = Adjusted interest expense × Statutory income tax rate
= × 21.00% =

8 Addition of after taxes interest expense to net income (loss).


Net Income (Loss)
The company experienced significant fluctuations in net income over the analyzed period. Starting with a substantial net income of $29,205 thousand in 2018, there was a sharp decline to $882 thousand in 2019, followed by a transition into losses in 2020 and 2021, with amounts of -$1,724 thousand and -$60,018 thousand, respectively. In 2022, the company reversed this trend dramatically, recording a significant net income of $147,139 thousand. This volatility indicates periods of financial difficulty followed by a substantial recovery and profitability improvement in the most recent year.
Net Operating Profit After Taxes (NOPAT)
NOPAT demonstrated a somewhat different pattern, though it also showed variability. The value started at $78,057 thousand in 2018 and then decreased considerably to $17,857 thousand in 2019. In 2020, NOPAT increased to $51,762 thousand, suggesting operational profitability improvement despite the net loss reported that year. A decline occurred again in 2021 to $38,523 thousand; however, a substantial increase to $326,174 thousand was evident in 2022. This increase in 2022 indicates enhanced operational efficiency and profitability on an after-tax basis.
Overall Trends and Insights
The data reveal a period of instability between 2018 and 2021, characterized by fluctuating and often negative net income, contrasted with positive but volatile NOPAT values. The divergence between net income and NOPAT especially during 2020 and 2021 suggests that non-operating factors or extraordinary charges may have negatively impacted net income. The strong recovery in 2022 across both net income and NOPAT points to improved financial health, possibly driven by operational improvements or a favorable change in the cost or revenue structure. The considerable growth in 2022 in both metrics reflects a pivotal turnaround likely resulting from strategic adjustments or market conditions.

Cash Operating Taxes

Axon Enterprise Inc., cash operating taxes calculation

US$ in thousands

Microsoft Excel
12 months ended: Dec 31, 2022 Dec 31, 2021 Dec 31, 2020 Dec 31, 2019 Dec 31, 2018
Provision for income taxes (income tax benefit)
Less: Deferred income tax expense (benefit)
Add: Tax savings from interest expense
Cash operating taxes

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2018-12-31).


Provision for income taxes (income tax benefit)
Over the five-year period, the provision for income taxes exhibited significant volatility and fluctuation. Initially, there was a negative provision in 2018, indicating an income tax benefit of 1,101 thousand US dollars. This turned positive in 2019, reaching 1,188 thousand US dollars, followed by another shift back to a negative provision in 2020 at -4,567 thousand US dollars. The most pronounced change occurred in 2021 with a substantial negative provision amounting to -81,357 thousand US dollars, suggesting a major income tax benefit that year. However, in 2022, the provision reversed to a positive figure of 49,379 thousand US dollars.
Cash operating taxes
Cash operating taxes demonstrated a generally increasing trend over the analyzed period, with a pronounced exception in 2021. Starting at 7,666 thousand US dollars in 2018, the amount increased steadily to 9,266 thousand US dollars in 2019 and further to 12,034 thousand US dollars in 2020. In 2021, there was a sharp decline, with cash operating taxes reported as negative 851 thousand US dollars, indicating a cash inflow or refund situation. Subsequently, in 2022, the cash operating taxes surged significantly to 27,888 thousand US dollars, more than doubling the previous peak.

Invested Capital

Axon Enterprise Inc., invested capital calculation (financing approach)

US$ in thousands

Microsoft Excel
Dec 31, 2022 Dec 31, 2021 Dec 31, 2020 Dec 31, 2019 Dec 31, 2018
Convertible notes, net
Operating lease liability1
Total reported debt & leases
Stockholders’ equity
Net deferred tax (assets) liabilities2
Allowance3
Deferred revenue4
Accrued warranty expense5
Equity equivalents6
Accumulated other comprehensive (income) loss, net of tax7
Adjusted stockholders’ equity
Construction-in-process8
Investments9
Invested capital

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2018-12-31).

1 Addition of capitalized operating leases.

2 Elimination of deferred taxes from assets and liabilities. See details »

3 Addition of allowance for doubtful accounts receivable.

4 Addition of deferred revenue.

5 Addition of accrued warranty expense.

6 Addition of equity equivalents to stockholders’ equity.

7 Removal of accumulated other comprehensive income.

8 Subtraction of construction-in-process.

9 Subtraction of investments.


The financial data reveals several notable trends in the company's capital structure and financial positioning over the five-year period ending in 2022.

Total Reported Debt & Leases
There is a relatively stable and moderate level of debt from 2018 through 2021, fluctuating between approximately 10.6 million and 27 million USD. However, in 2022, this figure experiences a dramatic increase to over 717 million USD. This sharp rise indicates a significant change in the company's financing strategy or capital structure, suggesting either a substantial new borrowing, lease obligation, or financial arrangement undertaken in the latest period.
Stockholders’ Equity
Stockholders' equity shows steady growth throughout all years, moving from around 467 million USD in 2018 to approximately 1.27 billion USD in 2022. The increase suggests consistent retention of earnings or capital injections, strengthening the company's net worth and reflecting profitable operations or equity financing activities.
Invested Capital
Invested capital fluctuates during the initial years, decreasing from roughly 632 million USD in 2018 to 500 million USD in 2019, then rising again to 723 million USD in 2020. From 2020 onward, invested capital increases significantly, peaking at approximately 1.61 billion USD by the end of 2022. This upward trend illustrates increased capital employed in the business, likely fuelled by the substantial growth in reported debt and equity, indicating expanded operational scale or investment in long-term assets.

Overall, the data suggests a period of gradual growth and stability up to 2021, followed by a marked increase in financial leverage and total capital employed in 2022. The spike in reported debt and leases may raise considerations regarding risk and debt service capacity, while the ongoing growth in equity and invested capital reflects a larger asset base and potentially heightened business activities.


Cost of Capital

Axon Enterprise Inc., cost of capital calculations

Capital (fair value)1 Weights Cost of capital
Equity2 ÷ = × =
Convertible notes3 ÷ = × × (1 – 21.00%) =
Operating lease liability4 ÷ = × × (1 – 21.00%) =
Total:

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31).

1 US$ in thousands

2 Equity. See details »

3 Convertible notes. See details »

4 Operating lease liability. See details »

Capital (fair value)1 Weights Cost of capital
Equity2 ÷ = × =
Convertible notes3 ÷ = × × (1 – 21.00%) =
Operating lease liability4 ÷ = × × (1 – 21.00%) =
Total:

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31).

1 US$ in thousands

2 Equity. See details »

3 Convertible notes. See details »

4 Operating lease liability. See details »

Capital (fair value)1 Weights Cost of capital
Equity2 ÷ = × =
Convertible notes3 ÷ = × × (1 – 21.00%) =
Operating lease liability4 ÷ = × × (1 – 21.00%) =
Total:

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31).

1 US$ in thousands

2 Equity. See details »

3 Convertible notes. See details »

4 Operating lease liability. See details »

Capital (fair value)1 Weights Cost of capital
Equity2 ÷ = × =
Convertible notes3 ÷ = × × (1 – 21.00%) =
Operating lease liability4 ÷ = × × (1 – 21.00%) =
Total:

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31).

1 US$ in thousands

2 Equity. See details »

3 Convertible notes. See details »

4 Operating lease liability. See details »

Capital (fair value)1 Weights Cost of capital
Equity2 ÷ = × =
Convertible notes3 ÷ = × × (1 – 21.00%) =
Operating lease liability4 ÷ = × × (1 – 21.00%) =
Total:

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2018-12-31).

1 US$ in thousands

2 Equity. See details »

3 Convertible notes. See details »

4 Operating lease liability. See details »


Economic Spread Ratio

Axon Enterprise Inc., economic spread ratio calculation, comparison to benchmarks

Microsoft Excel
Dec 31, 2022 Dec 31, 2021 Dec 31, 2020 Dec 31, 2019 Dec 31, 2018
Selected Financial Data (US$ in thousands)
Economic profit1
Invested capital2
Performance Ratio
Economic spread ratio3
Benchmarks
Economic Spread Ratio, Competitors4
Boeing Co.
Caterpillar Inc.
Eaton Corp. plc
GE Aerospace
Honeywell International Inc.
Lockheed Martin Corp.
RTX Corp.

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2018-12-31).

1 Economic profit. See details »

2 Invested capital. See details »

3 2022 Calculation
Economic spread ratio = 100 × Economic profit ÷ Invested capital
= 100 × ÷ =

4 Click competitor name to see calculations.


Economic Profit
The economic profit experienced a negative trend from 2018 through 2021, starting at -3,043 thousand US dollars in 2018 and deteriorating substantially to -123,877 thousand US dollars by 2021. However, in 2022, there was a significant positive reversal with economic profit reaching 128,060 thousand US dollars, indicating a marked improvement in profitability.
Invested Capital
Invested capital showed a general upward trend over the observed period. It started at 631,660 thousand US dollars in 2018, then declined to 500,291 thousand US dollars in 2019. Subsequently, there was consistent growth from 2020 onwards, increasing to 722,746 thousand US dollars in 2020, 1,262,920 thousand US dollars in 2021, and reaching 1,607,800 thousand US dollars in 2022. This suggests an increasing allocation of resources or assets dedicated to generating economic profit.
Economic Spread Ratio
The economic spread ratio was negative from 2018 to 2021, reflecting a cost of capital exceeding return on invested capital during these years. It reached its lowest point in 2021 at -9.81%. In 2022, the economic spread ratio improved markedly to a positive 7.96%, indicating that the return on invested capital surpassed the cost of capital, which is consistent with the positive economic profit observed in that year.

Economic Profit Margin

Axon Enterprise Inc., economic profit margin calculation, comparison to benchmarks

Microsoft Excel
Dec 31, 2022 Dec 31, 2021 Dec 31, 2020 Dec 31, 2019 Dec 31, 2018
Selected Financial Data (US$ in thousands)
Economic profit1
 
Net sales
Add: Increase (decrease) in deferred revenue
Adjusted net sales
Performance Ratio
Economic profit margin2
Benchmarks
Economic Profit Margin, Competitors3
Boeing Co.
Caterpillar Inc.
Eaton Corp. plc
GE Aerospace
Honeywell International Inc.
Lockheed Martin Corp.
RTX Corp.

Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2018-12-31).

1 Economic profit. See details »

2 2022 Calculation
Economic profit margin = 100 × Economic profit ÷ Adjusted net sales
= 100 × ÷ =

3 Click competitor name to see calculations.


Adjusted net sales
There is a consistent and significant upward trend in adjusted net sales over the five-year period. Starting from $476,219 thousand in 2018, the sales increased steadily each year, reaching $1,346,663 thousand in 2022. This reflects strong revenue growth, more than doubling over the timeframe examined.
Economic profit
The economic profit displayed a markedly negative performance from 2018 through 2021, with losses deepening notably in 2019 and 2021. The economic profit was -$3,043 thousand in 2018 and worsened to -$123,877 thousand in 2021. However, there was a substantial turnaround in 2022, where economic profit shifted to a positive value of $128,060 thousand, indicating a significant improvement in profitability or capital efficiency.
Economic profit margin
The economic profit margin remained negative from 2018 up to 2021, reflecting that the company generated losses relative to its adjusted net sales during these years. The margin deteriorated particularly in 2019 and 2021, reaching lows of -8.38% and -11.92%, respectively. A noteworthy reversal occurred in 2022 when the margin rose sharply to 9.51%, signaling a profitable margin relative to sales for that year.
Overall insights
The data indicate robust sales growth accompanied by initial challenges in generating economic profit, with significant losses sustained through 2021. The major improvement in economic profit and its margin in 2022 suggests either enhanced operational efficiency, cost control measures, greater pricing power, or a combination thereof. This turnaround after several years of negative economic profit underscores a positive shift in financial performance and value creation beginning in 2022.