Are These Retail-Wholesale Stocks Undervalued Right Now?
Here at Zacks, we focus on our proven ranking system, which places an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, to find winning stocks. But we also understand that investors develop their own strategies, so we are constantly looking at the latest trends in value, growth, and momentum to find strong companies for our readers.
Looking at the history of these trends, perhaps none is more beloved than value investing. This strategy simply looks to identify companies that are being undervalued by the broader market. Value investors use a variety of methods, including tried-and-true valuation metrics, to find these stocks.
Zacks has developed the innovative Style Scores system to highlight stocks with specific traits. For example, value investors will be interested in stocks with great grades in the "Value" category. When paired with a high Zacks Rank, "A" grades in the Value category are among the strongest value stocks on the market today.
One company to watch right now is Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF). ANF is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy), as well as a Value grade of A. The stock has a Forward P/E ratio of 8.09. This compares to its industry's average Forward P/E of 13.44. ANF's Forward P/E has been as high as 28.70 and as low as -23.69, with a median of 13.72, all within the past year.
ANF is also sporting a PEG ratio of 0.46. This figure is similar to the commonly-used P/E ratio, with the PEG ratio also factoring in a company's expected earnings growth rate. ANF's PEG compares to its industry's average PEG of 0.72. Over the last 12 months, ANF's PEG has been as high as 1.59 and as low as -1.32, with a median of 0.80.
We should also highlight that ANF has a P/B ratio of 2.14. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. This company's current P/B looks solid when compared to its industry's average P/B of 4.31. ANF's P/B has been as high as 3.08 and as low as 1.51, with a median of 2.43, over the past year.
Value investors also use the P/S ratio. The P/S ratio is is calculated as price divided by sales. Some people prefer this metric because sales are harder to manipulate on an income statement. This means it could be a truer performance indicator. ANF has a P/S ratio of 0.5. This compares to its industry's average P/S of 0.65.
The Buckle (BKE) may be another strong Retail - Apparel and Shoes stock to add to your shortlist. BKE is a # 1 (Strong Buy) stock with a Value grade of A.
The Buckle sports a P/B ratio of 3.76 as well; this compares to its industry's price-to-book ratio of 4.31. In the past 52 weeks, BKE's P/B has been as high as 5.67, as low as 3.60, with a median of 4.68.
These figures are just a handful of the metrics value investors tend to look at, but they help show that Abercrombie & Fitch and The Buckle are likely being undervalued right now. Considering this, as well as the strength of its earnings outlook, ANF and BKE feels like a great value stock at the moment.
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Abercrombie & Fitch Company (ANF) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Buckle, Inc. The (BKE) : Free Stock Analysis Report
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