Value investing is easily one of the most popular ways to find great stocks in any market environment. After all, who wouldn’t want to find stocks that are either flying under the radar and are compelling buys, or offer up tantalizing discounts when compared to fair value?

One way to find these companies is by looking at several key metrics and financial ratios, many of which are crucial in the value stock selection process. Let’s put Harman International Industries, Incorporated stock into this equation and find out if it is a good choice for value-oriented investors right now, or if investors subscribing to this methodology should look elsewhere for top picks.

PE Ratio

A key metric that value investors always look at is the Price to Earnings Ratio, or PE for short. This shows us how much investors are willing to pay for each dollar of earnings in a given stock, and is easily one of the most popular financial ratios in the world. The best use of the PE ratio is to compare the stock’s current PE ratio with: a) where this ratio has been in the past; b) how it compares to the average for the industry/sector; and c) how it compares to the market as a whole.

On this front, Harman has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 15.89, as you can see in the chart below:



This level actually compares favorably with the market at large, as the PE for the S&P 500 stands at about 20.32. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, Harman’s current PE level puts it slightly below its midpoint over the past five years.


Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with the Zacks classified Consumer Discretionary sector’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 23.08. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.


 
We should also point out that Harman has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 15.32, so it is fair to say that a slightly more value-oriented path may be ahead for the stock in the near term too.

P/S Ratio

Another key metric to note is the Price/Sales ratio. This approach compares a given stock’s price to its total sales, where a lower reading is generally considered better. Some people like this metric more than other value-focused ones because it looks at sales, something that is far harder to manipulate with accounting tricks than earnings.

Right now, Harman has a P/S ratio of about 1.11. This is lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.13 right now. Also, as we can see in the chart below, this is around the highs for this stock in particular over the past few years.



Broad Value Outlook

In aggregate, Harman currently has a Zacks Value Style Score of ‘A’, putting it into the top 20% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes Harman a solid choice for value investors, and some of its other key metrics make this pretty clear too.

For example, the PEG ratio for Harman is just 0.96, a level that is lower than the industry average of 1.49. The PEG ratio is a modified PE ratio that takes into account the stock’s earnings growth rate. Additionally, its P/CF ratio (another great indicator of value) comes in at 9.20, while the industry average stands at a negative 1.20. Thus, while the industry is experiencing negative cash flows, Harman’s financial health seems much better. Clearly, HAR is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.

What About the Stock Overall?

Though Harman might be a good choice for value investors, there are plenty of other factors to consider before investing in this name. In particular, it is worth noting that the company has a Growth grade of ‘A’ and a Momentum score of ‘B’. This gives HAR a Zacks VGM score—or its overarching fundamental grade—of ‘A’. (You can read more about the Zacks Style Scores here >>)

Meanwhile, the company’s recent earnings estimates have been mixed at best. The current quarter has seen one upward estimate revision in the past sixty days compared to three downward, while the full year estimate has seen five upward and no downward revisions in the same time frame.

As a result, the current quarter consensus estimate has dropped by 0.6% in the past two months, while the full year estimate has inched higher by 2.4%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:

Harman International Industries, Incorporated Price and Consensus

Despite this somewhat mixed trend, the stock has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) on the back of its strong value metrics and this is why we are expecting above-average performance from the company in the near-term.

Bottom Line

Harman is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. Boasting a good industry rank(Top 28% out of more than 250 industries) and a Zacks Rank #2, the company deserves attention right now.  In fact, over the past one year, the Zacks Audio/Video Home Production industry has clearly outperformed the broader market, as you can see below:



So, it might pay for value investors to delve deeper into the company’s prospects, as fundamentals indicate that this stock could be a compelling pick.

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