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Are Investors Undervaluing CI Financial (CIXXF) Right Now?

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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.

Of these, perhaps no stock market trend is more popular than value investing, which is a strategy that has proven to be successful in all sorts of market environments. Value investors use tried-and-true metrics and fundamental analysis to find companies that they believe are undervalued at their current share price levels.

Zacks has developed the innovative Style Scores system to highlight stocks with specific traits. For example, value investors will be interested in stocks with great grades in the "Value" category. When paired with a high Zacks Rank, "A" grades in the Value category are among the strongest value stocks on the market today.

One stock to keep an eye on is CI Financial (CIXXF - Free Report) . CIXXF is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) and an A for Value.

Investors will also notice that CIXXF has a PEG ratio of 0.44. This figure is similar to the commonly-used P/E ratio, with the PEG ratio also factoring in a company's expected earnings growth rate. CIXXF's PEG compares to its industry's average PEG of 1.16. Over the past 52 weeks, CIXXF's PEG has been as high as 0.63 and as low as 0.42, with a median of 0.53.

Another valuation metric that we should highlight is CIXXF's P/B ratio of 1.39. 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. This stock's P/B looks solid versus its industry's average P/B of 2.77. Over the past 12 months, CIXXF's P/B has been as high as 1.94 and as low as 1.29, with a median of 1.55.

Value investors also frequently use the P/S ratio. This metric is found by dividing a stock's price with the company's revenue. Some people prefer this metric because sales are harder to manipulate on an income statement. This means it could be a truer performance indicator. CIXXF has a P/S ratio of 0.96. This compares to its industry's average P/S of 1.48.

Finally, our model also underscores that CIXXF has a P/CF ratio of 4.93. This figure highlights a company's operating cash flow and can be used to find firms that are undervalued when considering their impressive cash outlook. This stock's P/CF looks attractive against its industry's average P/CF of 9.09. CIXXF's P/CF has been as high as 6.80 and as low as 3.73, with a median of 4.93, all within the past year.

Investors could also keep in mind Intercorp Financial Services (IFS - Free Report) , an Financial - Miscellaneous Services stock with a Zacks Rank of # 2 (Buy) and Value grade of A.

Shares of Intercorp Financial Services are currently trading at a forward earnings multiple of 5.62 and a PEG ratio of 0.34 compared to its industry's P/E and PEG ratios of 10.83 and 1.16, respectively.

Over the past year, IFS's P/E has been as high as 7.18, as low as 5.33, with a median of 5.95; its PEG ratio has been as high as 0.58, as low as 0.33, with a median of 0.53 during the same time period.

Intercorp Financial Services sports a P/B ratio of 1.10 as well; this compares to its industry's price-to-book ratio of 2.77. In the past 52 weeks, IFS's P/B has been as high as 1.36, as low as 0.95, with a median of 1.11.

These are just a handful of the figures considered in CI Financial and Intercorp Financial Services'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 CIXXF and IFS is an impressive value stock right now.


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