Key Statistics
EV/EBIT = 13x
ROE = 17.84%
Debt/Equity = 0%
FCF Yield = 5.7%
Dividend Yield = 1.54%
Market Cap = $7.19 billion
The Company
Gentex Corporation (GNTX) is a leading electronic device manufacturer specializing in automotive and safety equipment.
Founded in 1974 by Fred Bauer in Zeeland, Michigan, the company began by focusing on fire protection products, particularly dual-sensor photoelectric smoke detectors, which were known for reducing false alarms.
Gentex quickly evolved into a key player in the automotive industry. In the early 1980s, they introduced an automatic-dimming rearview mirror as an alternative to traditional manual mirrors. This innovation automatically adjusted brightness to reduce glare, improving driver safety and comfort.
By the late 1980s, Gentex advanced this technology further by developing an electrochromic version, which darkened the mirror in response to headlights. This technology laid the foundation for the company's success, quickly becoming a standard feature in many vehicles.