The proven Zacks Rank system focuses on earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find winning stocks. Nevertheless, we know that our readers all have their own perspectives, so we are always looking at the latest trends in value, growth, and momentum to find strong picks.
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 tried-and-true metrics and fundamental analysis to find companies that they believe are undervalued at their current share price levels.
In addition to the Zacks Rank, investors looking for stocks with specific traits can utilize our Style Scores system. Of course, value investors will be most interested in the system's "Value" category. Stocks with "A" grades for Value and high Zacks Ranks are among the best value stocks available at any given moment.
One stock to keep an eye on is CNO Financial Group (CNO). CNO is currently sporting a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and an A for Value.
Another notable valuation metric for CNO is its P/B ratio of 1.52. 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. CNO's current P/B looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/B of 2.56. CNO's P/B has been as high as 1.75 and as low as 1.31, with a median of 1.50, over the past year.
Value investors also love the P/S ratio, which is calculated by simply dividing a stock's price with the company's sales. This is a preferred metric because revenue can't really be manipulated, so sales are often a truer performance indicator. CNO has a P/S ratio of 0.89. This compares to its industry's average P/S of 1.04.
Value investors will likely look at more than just these metrics, but the above data helps show that CNO Financial Group is likely undervalued currently. And when considering the strength of its earnings outlook, CNO sticks out as one of the market's strongest value stocks.
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CNO Financial Group, Inc. (CNO): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
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