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APTVAptiv PLCSell5.1·$58.89-2.31%
APTV · Why this verdict

Why Aptiv (APTV) is rated SELL

Updated

Model-generated analysis — not investment advice. Not a registered investment advisor. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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Methodology · Editorial policy & full disclaimer

VerdictSELL
Overall score5.1/10
ConfidenceMEDIUM
MacroNEUTRAL

Thesis pillars

Free cash flow converts at 299% of reported net income, meaning the business generates nearly three times more cash than GAAP earnings suggest, supported by a Piotroski F-score of 7 out of 9 that signals broad financial health despite modest reported margins.

Stable
Quality breakdown
Expectation
Free cash flow to net income ratio remains above 150% for the next four quarters, confirming durable cash generation above reported earnings.

CounterWith no identified competitive moat and weak gross margin characteristics, the strong cash conversion may reflect asset-light timing dynamics or low capital intensity in the near term; a structural deterioration in the product mix could quickly erode both reported margins and cash generation simultaneously.

At a forward price-to-earnings of 9.8 times and a price/earnings-to-growth ratio of 1.07, the stock screens as attractively valued relative to its earnings and growth trajectory — the bundle explicitly characterizes it as attractively valued.

Stable
Valuation breakdown
Expectation
Forward earnings per share expands enough to keep the forward price-to-earnings ratio below 12 times over the next 12 months, validating the low-multiple entry thesis.

CounterValuation multiples can remain compressed for extended periods when business quality is below average and momentum is in a confirmed downtrend; screens cheap is not the same as the catalyst that closes the gap exists.

The top 10 customers account for 56% of total revenue, meaning a significant portion of the business depends on a small set of relationships; loss or material reduction in orders from any major customer could produce a disproportionate impact on the revenue base.

Stable
Bear case
Expectation
Revenue from the top 10 customers falls below 45% of total revenue within 18 months, reflecting meaningful diversification of the customer base.

CounterIn the auto parts industry, deep integration with a small number of large vehicle manufacturers can reflect genuine switching costs and long-cycle program awards rather than fragile concentration; established relationships may be more durable than the concentration percentage implies.

Price momentum has failed its minimum threshold, volume accumulation shows a distributional pattern with falling on-balance volume, and the risk/reward at current levels is unfavorable — with downside exceeding the 5.7% upside to target — making the near-term setup unattractive even with fundamental value present.

Stable
Momentum breakdown
Expectation
Momentum recovers above the minimum threshold and on-balance volume turns positive for more than 30 consecutive trading days, signaling renewed accumulation.

CounterThe stock trades above its 200-day moving average despite the weak momentum signal, meaning the longer-term price structure has not broken down; a value-oriented catalyst such as a beat-and-raise earnings report could quickly shift the technical picture.

Three of the last four quarters produced beats — most recently by 7.9%, preceded by one in-line print, then two beats of 18.8% and 15.8% — with an average quarterly surprise of roughly 10.7% and no outright misses, suggesting a consistent pattern of delivering at or above market expectations.

Stable
Earnings
Expectation
Earnings surprise stays above 5% for the next two consecutive quarters, maintaining the positive delivery trend.

CounterThe most recent in-line result breaks the prior beat streak; with customer concentration high and momentum weak, the next earnings print carries meaningful downside risk if any major customer reduces orders.

TrendMatrix Research · core thesis

Engine thesis — one sentence

An attractive forward multiple near 10 times earnings and free cash flow converting at nearly 3 times reported net income provide a fundamental floor for patient value buyers, but failed momentum, 56% customer concentration, and an unfavorable risk/reward at the current price — with downside exceeding upside — argue for caution rather than new entry.

Falsifiable statement — pillar-level invalidators below. Engine-derived; not personalized advice.

Per-dimension breakdown

Value

7.8/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
P/E3.7
P/S9.9
EV/EBITDA8.2
Fwd P/E9.5
PEG7.3
Analyst target7.5
  • Forward P/E: 8.6x
  • PEG: 0.95
  • Attractively valued

Quality

4.4/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
ROE1.4
ROA3.8
Gross margin0.0
Op margin3.9
Net margin0.9
Current ratio7.3
FCF quality10.0
Moat4.2
Piotroski F7.8
  • Excellent cash conversion: 299% FCF/NI
  • No competitive moat
  • Strong Piotroski F-Score: 7/9

Growth

3.8/10data confidence 33%
ComponentSub-score
Rev growth3.8

Momentum

1.3/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
RSI3.0
MACD0.0
OBV1.0
MA position1.5
Volume1.2
  • Capitulation risk (RSI 25, below 200MA)
  • Volume distribution (falling OBV)
  • Below 200-MA, MA slope flat

Sentiment

8.0/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
Analyst rating8.9
Price target8.7
erm sentiment5.7
  • Analyst upside: 32%

Insider

5.0/10data confidence 50%
ComponentSub-score
materiality5.0
holder change5.1
  • Negligible insider selling — $13,247 (0.000% of mkt cap)

Peer rank

3.0/10data confidence 80%
ComponentSub-score
value rank4.3
quality rank3.7
growth rank4.0

Technical

7.0/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
bollinger8.4
support resistance9.5
52w position5.0
gap5.0

Risk (lower is worse)

5.9/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
short interest6.9
days to cover8.5
volatility1.9
put call10.0
implied vol3.2
beta5.6
debt equity4.9
  • High IV: 61%
  • Concentration risks: 1 HIGH, 2 MED (10-K Item 1A — sized via position_sizing, validated via buy_confidence)

Catalyst

7.2/10data confidence 100%
ComponentSub-score
erm6.0
earnings history10.0
earnings timing5.0
surprise avg7.8
  • Strong earnings: 3B/0M

How the verdict was assembled

Engine trigger

Multiple concerning factors. Consider reducing position.

Engine technical detail
verdict_path: L4:PATH_F_SELL
Passed (7)
  • ASYMMETRY:2.2>=1.5
  • INSIDER:OK
  • 8K:CLEAN
  • NEWS_EVENTS:NONE_RECENT
  • EARNINGS_PROXIMITY:27d clear
  • SEMI_CYCLE_PEAK:CLEAR
  • MATERIALS_CYCLE_PEAK:CLEAR
Failed (2)
  • MOMENTUM:1.3<4.5
  • DEATH_CROSS:HARD_BLOCK
Warning (0)

none

Reward-to-Risk
2.18
Upside
+18.6%
Downside
8.5%
Sizing output
AVOID

SetupFalling Knife Death cross, below all MAs, RSI 25, MACD bearish

EdgeCatalyst-Driven Earnings in 27d with 3/4 beat streak

SuitabilityAggressive Beta 1.34>1.3

Investment implication

The F-path SELL output reflects an overall score of 4.6 below the 5.6 soft trigger — multiple weakening dimensions accumulated rather than a single hard-floor breach. The strongest dimension ( Sentiment at 8.0) was not enough to lift the adjusted overall above the threshold. Co-occurring failed gates ( MOMENTUM:1.3<4.5, DEATH_CROSS:HARD_BLOCK) reinforce the read. Current asymmetry R:R is 2.18 — supplementary context, not the trigger for this path.

The strongest dimensions are Sentiment at 8.0, Value at 7.8, and Catalyst at 7.2; the weakest are Momentum at 1.3, Peer rank at 3.0, and Growth at 3.8. The V9 engine flagged 2 failed gates, producing an asymmetric reward-to-risk of 2.18 and an engine sizing output of AVOID.

What would invalidate the thesis

Falsifying conditions — when triggered, the corresponding pillar's thesis is invalidated.

  • P1Attractive Forward Valuation

    Trip ifForward price-to-earnings ratio rises above 16 times, indicating the stock no longer screens as attractively valued on forward earnings.

  • P2Exceptional Fcf Conversion

    Trip ifFree cash flow to net income ratio falls below 100% for 2 consecutive quarters.

  • P3High Customer Concentration Risk

    Trip ifRevenue from the top 10 customers falls below 45% of total revenue for 2 consecutive quarters, reflecting meaningful customer diversification.

  • P4Negative Momentum Volume Distribution

    Trip ifPrice momentum score rises above 4.5 and on-balance volume turns positive for more than 30 consecutive trading days.

  • P5Earnings Delivery Track Record

    Trip ifEPS surprise falls below 0% for 2 consecutive quarters, breaking the no-miss delivery track record.

Engine reasoning is mechanically derived from pipeline gate outputs. See decision view.

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