Is Tilray Stock A Buy As CEO Looks To Authorize More Shares?

Canadian pot producer Tilray(TLRY) this month asked shareholders to support a proposal allowing it authorize additional shares, a move it said would boost growth. So should you buy TLRY stock now?

CEO Irwin Simon, in a letter to shareholders, said the proposal "would authorize additional shares of our common stock so that we can move quickly to accelerate growth through potential acquisition and financing opportunities."

However, he said, approving that proposal didn't mean those shares would be issued. They would only be available if needed to pursue those goals.

Earlier in the month, Simon also told CNBChe "absolutely" welcomed the retail traders that have launched shares of the pot producer and those of GameStop(GME) and AMC Entertainment(AMC) higher this year.

Earlier in the year, Tilray merged with rival Aphria. The deal gives the combined company a market value approaching that of Canopy Growth(CGC), currently the largest pot stock.

Tilray, following the merger, has a market cap of around $8.3 billion, according to Marketsmith. Canopy's market value is around $9.4 billion.

Along with their recreational businesses in Canada, the merger gives the combined company the old Tilray's medical business in Europe and Australia — as well as its debt. It also folds in Aphria's pharmaceutical distribution business, which, rather than cannabis, had driven a majority of Aphria's sales.

The deal also brings together a handful of U.S. businesses: Manitoba Harvest, a company owned by the old Tilray that sells hemp granola and CBD products, and SweetWater, "a leading cannabis lifestyle branded craft brewer" owned by Aphria.

Some analysts have questioned whether that infrastructure would be enough to capture more business in THC products, should the U.S. legalize cannabis on a federal level.

Even as more states legalize, Canadian entry into the U.S., if it's ever allowed, won't be easy. Below, we take a closer look at TLRY stock.

TLRY Stock Fundamental Analysis

Earnings growth is a staple of top stocks. But the EPS Rating of TLRY stock stands at 30, with 99 being the best possible. Othermarijuana stocksalso have not-great profit ratings, as they continue to lose money. The EPS Rating is a gauge of a company's profit growth.

The Composite Rating of TLRY stock stands at 44, according toMarketsmith chart analysis. IBD research says investors should focus on stocks with Composite Ratings of 90 or higher.

Aphria in April reported disappointing quarterly results, which it attributed to coronavirus lockdowns in Canada. Results from rivals followed suit. But the old Tilray, in February,reported fourth-quarter results that beat some expectations. And it became the rare weed company to hit its (albeit adjusted) profitability targets.

Analysts expect Tilray to lose money through this fiscal year and the next one. The company's SMR Rating— or Sales + Margins + Return on Equity rating — is a weak E. The rating tallies the past three quarters of sales growth, pretax and after-tax profit margins and return on equity.

Tilray Stock Technical Analysis

TLRY stock began trading in July 2018 on the Nasdaq via an IPO. That IPO was the first on a big U.S. exchange from a pure-play cannabis company.

But the stock largely fell between then and September of last year, after industrywide concerns about profitability, sales growth and cash grew more severe.

This year, shares soared as much as 711%, hitting 67 on Feb. 10. The stock is off those levels, but has found support at its 50-day line. However, it is not in a buy zone, and no new base pattern has formed.

Is Tilray Stock A Buy?

Shares of Tilray are not in a base or in buy range. So TLRY stock is not a buy right now.