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 SeaWorld Entertainment 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, SeaWorld Entertainment has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 12.3, as you can see in the chart below:
This level actually compares pretty favorably with the market at large, as the PE for the S&P 500 stands at about 20.0. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, SeaWorld Entertainment’s current PE level puts it below its midpoint over the past three years, with the number having risen rapidly over the past few months.
Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with the industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 22.2. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
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, SeaWorld Entertainment has a P/S ratio of about 0.8. This is far lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.1x right now. Also, as we can see in the chart below, this is well below the highs for this stock in particular over the past few years.
If anything, SEAS is in the lower end of its range in the time period from a P/S metric, suggesting some level of undervalued trading—at least compared to historical norms.
Broad Value Outlook
In aggregate, SeaWorld Entertainment currently has a Value Score of B, putting it into the top 40% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes SeaWorld Entertainment a solid choice for value investors, and some of its other key metrics make this pretty clear too.
For example, its P/CF ratio (another great indicator of value) comes in at 6.2, which is far better than the industry average of 7.8. Clearly, SEAS is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though SeaWorld Entertainment 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 Score of B and a Momentum Score of D. This gives SEAS a Zacks VGM score — or its overarching fundamental grade — of B. (You can read more about the Zacks Style Scores here >>)
Meanwhile, the company’s recent earnings estimates have been pretty discouraging. The current quarter has seen no estimates going higher in the past sixty days compared to six lower, while the full year estimate has seen no upward and four downward movements in the same time period.
This has had a significant impact on the consensus estimate though as the current quarter consensus estimate has fallen by 23% in the past two months, while the full year estimate has come down to a loss of $2.08 from earnings of 74 cents. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. Price and Consensus
This unfavorable trend is why the stock has just a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) and why we are looking for in-line performance from the company in the near term.
Bottom Line
SeaWorld Entertainment is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. However, with a sluggish industry rank and a Zacks Rank #3, it is hard to get too excited about this company overall. In fact, over the past two years, the industry has clearly underperformed the broader market, as you can see below:
So, value investors might want to wait for estimates, analyst sentiment and broader factors to turn around in this name first, but once that happens, this stock could be a compelling pick.
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SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc: Is SEAS a Suitable Stock for Value Investors?
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 SeaWorld Entertainment 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, SeaWorld Entertainment has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 12.3, as you can see in the chart below:
This level actually compares pretty favorably with the market at large, as the PE for the S&P 500 stands at about 20.0. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, SeaWorld Entertainment’s current PE level puts it below its midpoint over the past three years, with the number having risen rapidly over the past few months.
Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with the industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 22.2. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
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, SeaWorld Entertainment has a P/S ratio of about 0.8. This is far lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.1x right now. Also, as we can see in the chart below, this is well below the highs for this stock in particular over the past few years.
If anything, SEAS is in the lower end of its range in the time period from a P/S metric, suggesting some level of undervalued trading—at least compared to historical norms.
Broad Value Outlook
In aggregate, SeaWorld Entertainment currently has a Value Score of B, putting it into the top 40% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes SeaWorld Entertainment a solid choice for value investors, and some of its other key metrics make this pretty clear too.
For example, its P/CF ratio (another great indicator of value) comes in at 6.2, which is far better than the industry average of 7.8. Clearly, SEAS is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though SeaWorld Entertainment 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 Score of B and a Momentum Score of D. This gives SEAS a Zacks VGM score — or its overarching fundamental grade — of B. (You can read more about the Zacks Style Scores here >>)
Meanwhile, the company’s recent earnings estimates have been pretty discouraging. The current quarter has seen no estimates going higher in the past sixty days compared to six lower, while the full year estimate has seen no upward and four downward movements in the same time period.
This has had a significant impact on the consensus estimate though as the current quarter consensus estimate has fallen by 23% in the past two months, while the full year estimate has come down to a loss of $2.08 from earnings of 74 cents. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. Price and Consensus
SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. Price and Consensus | SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. Quote
This unfavorable trend is why the stock has just a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) and why we are looking for in-line performance from the company in the near term.
Bottom Line
SeaWorld Entertainment is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. However, with a sluggish industry rank and a Zacks Rank #3, it is hard to get too excited about this company overall. In fact, over the past two years, the industry has clearly underperformed the broader market, as you can see below:
So, value investors might want to wait for estimates, analyst sentiment and broader factors to turn around in this name first, but once that happens, this stock could be a compelling pick.
More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone!
It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market.
Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020.
Click here for the 6 trades >>