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Are These Consumer Discretionary Stocks a Great Value Stocks Right Now?

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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.

Of these, value investing is easily one of the most popular ways to find great stocks in any market environment. 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.

H&R Block (HRB - Free Report) is a stock many investors are watching right now. HRB is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), as well as an A grade for Value. The stock has a Forward P/E ratio of 7.84. This compares to its industry's average Forward P/E of 10.49. Over the last 12 months, HRB's Forward P/E has been as high as 9.81 and as low as 5.95, with a median of 8.42.

Finally, our model also underscores that HRB has a P/CF ratio of 3.70. This metric takes into account a company's operating cash flow and can be used to find stocks that are undervalued based on their solid cash outlook. This stock's P/CF looks attractive against its industry's average P/CF of 5.62. Over the past 52 weeks, HRB's P/CF has been as high as 10.91 and as low as 3.42, with a median of 4.27.

Investors could also keep in mind RentACenter , an Consumer Services - Miscellaneous stock with a Zacks Rank of # 2 (Buy) and Value grade of A.

RentACenter is currently trading with a Forward P/E ratio of 5.96 while its PEG ratio sits at 0.17. Both of the company's metrics compare favorably to its industry's average P/E of 10.49 and average PEG ratio of 0.43.

Over the past year, RCII's P/E has been as high as 14.94, as low as 5.74, with a median of 9.23; its PEG ratio has been as high as 0.24, as low as 0.17, with a median of 0.67 during the same time period.

RentACenter also has a P/B ratio of 3.33 compared to its industry's price-to-book ratio of 6.13. Over the past year, its P/B ratio has been as high as 5.88, as low as 3.19, with a median of 4.74.

These are just a handful of the figures considered in H&R Block and RentACenter'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 HRB and RCII is an impressive value stock right now.


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