Is Target (TGT) a Great Value Stock Right Now?
While the proven Zacks Rank places an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find strong stocks, we also know that investors tend to develop their own individual strategies. With this in mind, we are always looking at value, growth, and momentum trends to discover great companies.
Considering these trends, value investing is clearly one of the most preferred ways to find strong stocks in any type of market. Value investors use a variety of methods, including tried-and-true valuation metrics, to find these stocks.
On top of the Zacks Rank, investors can also look at our innovative Style Scores system to find stocks with specific traits. For example, value investors will want to focus on the "Value" category. Stocks with high Zacks Ranks and "A" grades for Value will be some of the highest-quality value stocks on the market today.
One company to watch right now is Target (TGT). TGT is currently holding a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) and a Value grade of A. The stock has a Forward P/E ratio of 13.98. This compares to its industry's average Forward P/E of 21.11. Over the past 52 weeks, TGT's Forward P/E has been as high as 16.16 and as low as 10.95, with a median of 13.72.
Another notable valuation metric for TGT is its P/B ratio of 3.78. Investors use the P/B ratio to look at a stock's market value versus 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 9.88. Over the past 12 months, TGT's P/B has been as high as 4.21 and as low as 2.88, with a median of 3.63.
Value investors also use the P/S ratio. The P/S ratio is is calculated as price divided by sales. This is a prefered metric because revenue can't really be manipulated, so sales are often a truer performance indicator. TGT has a P/S ratio of 0.55. This compares to its industry's average P/S of 0.65.
Finally, investors should note that TGT has a P/CF ratio of 7.94. This data point considers a firm's operating cash flow and is frequently used to find companies that are undervalued when considering their solid cash outlook. TGT's current P/CF looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/CF of 19.89. Within the past 12 months, TGT's P/CF has been as high as 8.53 and as low as 5.68, with a median of 7.53.
These figures are just a handful of the metrics value investors tend to look at, but they help show that Target is likely being undervalued right now. Considering this, as well as the strength of its earnings outlook, TGT feels like a great value stock at the moment.
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
Target Corporation (TGT) : Free Stock Analysis Report
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
