Guardant Health, Inc. (GH) Stock Analysis

Guardant Health, Inc. (GH) Stock Analysis

Overall Grade: F (Concerning)

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Guardant Health, Inc. faces challenges in financial performance that warrant careful analysis.

Key Metrics:

Metric Value Context
ROIC 43.6% Above industry average
FCF Margin -32.8% Cash flow pressure
Debt/Equity 0.0x Conservative leverage

Investment Thesis: Strong return on invested capital of 43.6% suggests durable competitive advantages and efficient capital allocation.


What is Guardant Health, Inc.'s Profitability and ROIC?

Guardant Health, Inc. generates strong returns on invested capital at 43.6%, indicating efficient capital allocation and competitive advantages. Gross margin of 100.0% with operating margin at -55.6% reflects the company's strong market position.

Key Metrics

Metric Value Rating Interpretation
Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) 43.6% Excellent Strong capital efficiency
Return on Equity (ROE) 274.0% Excellent Efficient use of shareholder equity
Gross Margin 100.0% Excellent Strong pricing power
Operating Margin -55.6% Warning Moderate operational efficiency

How Strong is Guardant Health, Inc.'s Cash Flow Quality?

Guardant Health, Inc. generated $-271.7M in free cash flow over the trailing twelve months, representing a -32.8% margin. FCF was positive in N/A of the last 8 quarters, indicating variable cash generation.

Key Metrics

Metric Value Rating Interpretation
Free Cash Flow Margin -32.8% Red flag Thin cash margins
Free Cash Flow (TTM) $-271.7M Red flag Cash burn
OCF/Net Income 0.6x Adequate Potential accrual concerns
FCF Consistency (8Q) N/A Warning Variable cash flow

What is Guardant Health, Inc.'s Financial Health?

Guardant Health, Inc.'s debt-to-equity ratio of 0.0x indicates conservative leverage.

Key Metrics

Metric Value Rating Interpretation
Debt to Equity 0.0x Excellent Conservative capital structure

Is Guardant Health, Inc. Stock Overvalued or Undervalued?

Guardant Health, Inc. trades at a P/E of -15.5x, representing a premium to the sector median of N/A.

Key Metrics

Metric Value Rating Interpretation
P/E Ratio -15.5x Red flag Reasonable valuation
EV/Sales 4.0x Good Growth premium priced in

Sector Rankings

Metric Value Percentile vs Median
Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) 43.6% Top 5% -
Free Cash Flow Margin -32.8% Bottom 10% -
Gross Margin 100.0% Top 25% 1.6x above
Operating Margin -55.6% Top 25% -12.4x below
Return on Equity (ROE) 274.0% Top 5% -

Rating Thresholds

Return on Invested Capital (ROIC)

Measures how efficiently a company uses its debt and equity capital to generate profits. ROIC above 15% typically indicates a competitive moat.

Rating Range Interpretation
Excellent > 20% Exceptional capital efficiency, strong competitive moat
Good 12% - 20% Above-average returns, sustainable competitive position
Adequate 8% - 12% Around cost of capital, moderate competitive position
Warning 4% - 8% Below cost of capital, value may be eroding
Red flag < 4% Significant capital destruction, fundamental issues

Current: 43.6% (Excellent - Top 5% of sector (median: 0.0%))

Free Cash Flow Margin

The percentage of revenue converted to free cash flow. Higher margins indicate stronger cash generation and business quality.

Rating Range Interpretation
Excellent > 20% Strong cash generation, high-quality business
Good 10% - 20% Healthy cash conversion
Adequate 5% - 10% Moderate cash generation
Warning 0% - 5% Thin cash margins, capital intensive
Red flag < 0% Cash burn, potential liquidity concerns

Current: -32.8% (Red flag)

Gross Margin

Revenue minus cost of goods sold as a percentage. Higher gross margins indicate pricing power and competitive advantage.

Rating Range Interpretation
Excellent > 50% Strong pricing power and competitive moat
Good 30% - 50% Healthy margins, differentiated product
Adequate 20% - 30% Moderate margins, competitive industry
Warning 10% - 20% Thin margins, commodity-like business
Red flag < 10% Very thin margins, structural challenges

Current: 100.0% (Excellent - Top 25% of sector (median: 61.4%))

Debt to Equity Ratio

Total debt divided by shareholders' equity. Lower ratios indicate more conservative financing and reduced financial risk.

Rating Range Interpretation
Excellent < 0.3x Conservative leverage, strong balance sheet
Good 0.3x - 0.7x Moderate leverage, healthy financial position
Adequate 0.7x - 1.5x Elevated leverage, monitor closely
Warning 1.5x - 3.0x High leverage, increased financial risk
Red flag > 3.0x Excessive leverage, potential distress risk

Current: 0.0% (Excellent)


Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is Guardant Health, Inc.'s Return on Invested Capital (ROIC)?

Guardant Health, Inc. (GH) has a trailing twelve-month Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) of 43.6%. This compares above the sector median of 0.0%. An ROIC above 20% indicates exceptional capital efficiency and strong competitive advantages.

Q: What is Guardant Health, Inc.'s Free Cash Flow Margin?

Guardant Health, Inc. (GH) has a free cash flow margin of -32.8%, generating $-271.7 million in free cash flow over the trailing twelve months. Negative free cash flow means the company is consuming cash, which may require financing.

Q: Is Guardant Health, Inc. stock overvalued or undervalued?

Guardant Health, Inc. (GH) trades at a P/E ratio of -15.5x, which is above the sector median of N/A. The EV/Sales multiple is 4.0x.

Q: How does Guardant Health, Inc. compare to competitors in Healthcare?

Compared to other companies in Healthcare, Guardant Health, Inc. (GH) shows: ROIC of 43.6% is above the sector median of 0.0% (Top 3%). FCF margin of -32.8% trails the sector median of 0.0%. Gross margin at 100.0% is 38.6 percentage points higher than sector peers. These rankings are based on MetricDuck's analysis of all Healthcare companies with available SEC filings.

Q: What warning signs should I watch for with Guardant Health, Inc.?

Investors in Guardant Health, Inc. (GH) should monitor these potential warning signs: 1) FCF margin is thin at -32.8%, leaving limited buffer for economic downturns. Regular monitoring of SEC filings and quarterly trends is recommended.


Data Source: Data sourced from 10-Q filed 2025-10-29. TTM metrics as of Q2 2025.

Methodology: Financial metrics calculated from SEC 10-K and 10-Q filings using standardized formulas. Sector comparisons use peer group based on SIC code.

This analysis is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.