Here at Zacks, our focus is on the proven Zacks Rank system, which emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find great stocks. Nevertheless, we are always paying attention to the latest value, growth, and momentum trends to underscore 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 company to watch right now is Flex (FLEX). FLEX is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), as well as an A grade for Value. The stock holds a P/E ratio of 14.01, while its industry has an average P/E of 15.79. Over the past 52 weeks, FLEX's Forward P/E has been as high as 16.44 and as low as 9.39, with a median of 13.07.
We should also highlight that FLEX has a P/B ratio of 3.18. The P/B ratio is used to compare a stock's market value with its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. FLEX's current P/B looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/B of 5.17. Over the past year, FLEX's P/B has been as high as 3.41 and as low as 2.04, with a median of 2.66.
Value investors also use the P/S ratio. The P/S ratio is is calculated as price divided by sales. This is a popular metric because sales are harder to manipulate on an income statement, so they are often considered a better performance indicator. FLEX has a P/S ratio of 0.6. This compares to its industry's average P/S of 1.19.
Finally, we should also recognize that FLEX has a P/CF ratio of 11.72. This metric focuses on a firm's operating cash flow and is often used to find stocks that are undervalued based on the strength of their cash outlook. FLEX's current P/CF looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/CF of 16.30. Within the past 12 months, FLEX's P/CF has been as high as 11.94 and as low as 7.54, with a median of 9.26.
These are just a handful of the figures considered in Flex's great Value grade. Still, they help show that the stock is likely being undervalued at the moment. Add this to the strength of its earnings outlook, and we can clearly see that FLEX is an impressive value stock right now.
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Flex Ltd. (FLEX): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
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