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Is Lazard (LAZ) a Great Stock for Value Investors?
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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 Lazard Ltd. (LAZ - Free Report) 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, Lazard has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 12.78. This level compares pretty favorably with the market at large, as the PE ratio for the S&P 500 comes in at about 20.01.
If we focus on the long-term trend of the stock the current level puts Lazard’s current PE near its lows over the observed period. This suggests that the stock is undervalued compared to its own historical levels and thus it could be a suitable entry point from the PE perspective.
Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with the Zacks classified Finance - Investment Management industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 14.96. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
PS 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, Lazard has a P/S ratio of about 2.36. This is lower than the Zacks categorized Finance - Investment Management industry average, which comes in at 3.43 right now.
If anything, LAZ 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, Lazard currently has a Zacks Value Style Score of ‘B’, putting it into the top 40% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes Lazard an apt choice for value investors.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though Lazard 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 ‘C’ and a Momentum score of ‘B’. This gives LAZ 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 earnings estimates have been trending upwards lately. The current quarter has seen one estimate go higher in the past sixty days compared to one lower, while the full year estimate has seen two upward revisions and no downward revisions in the same time period.
This has had a meaningful impact on the consensus estimate as the current quarter consensus estimate has moved higher by 1.5% over the past month, while the full year estimate has increased 5.7%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
This positive trend signifies bullish analyst sentiment, and its Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) indicates robust fundamentals and expectations of outperformance in the near term.
Bottom Line
Lazard 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 39% out of more than 250 industries) and a strong Zacks Rank, the company deserves attention right now.
Notably, in 2016, Lazard acquired Verus Partners and its remaining stake in MBA Lazard, to fortify its financial advisory business footprint across America. Meanwhile, though the company's dependence on local and global economic conditions for revenue generation and regulatory pressure can hurt top-line growth in the near term, it is well positioned to grow organically, driven by its strength in its Financial Advisory and Asset Management segments. Further, focus on cost management should enhance the company’s profitability. Also, strong capital deployment activities help to boost shareholders’ value.
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.
Looking for Ideas with Even Greater Upside?
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Is Lazard (LAZ) a Great 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 Lazard Ltd. (LAZ - Free Report) 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, Lazard has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 12.78. This level compares pretty favorably with the market at large, as the PE ratio for the S&P 500 comes in at about 20.01.
If we focus on the long-term trend of the stock the current level puts Lazard’s current PE near its lows over the observed period. This suggests that the stock is undervalued compared to its own historical levels and thus it could be a suitable entry point from the PE perspective.
Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with the Zacks classified Finance - Investment Management industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 14.96. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
PS 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, Lazard has a P/S ratio of about 2.36. This is lower than the Zacks categorized Finance - Investment Management industry average, which comes in at 3.43 right now.
If anything, LAZ 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, Lazard currently has a Zacks Value Style Score of ‘B’, putting it into the top 40% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes Lazard an apt choice for value investors.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though Lazard 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 ‘C’ and a Momentum score of ‘B’. This gives LAZ 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 earnings estimates have been trending upwards lately. The current quarter has seen one estimate go higher in the past sixty days compared to one lower, while the full year estimate has seen two upward revisions and no downward revisions in the same time period.
This has had a meaningful impact on the consensus estimate as the current quarter consensus estimate has moved higher by 1.5% over the past month, while the full year estimate has increased 5.7%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
Lazard Ltd. Price and Consensus
Lazard Ltd. Price and Consensus | Lazard Ltd. Quote
This positive trend signifies bullish analyst sentiment, and its Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) indicates robust fundamentals and expectations of outperformance in the near term.
Bottom Line
Lazard 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 39% out of more than 250 industries) and a strong Zacks Rank, the company deserves attention right now.
Notably, in 2016, Lazard acquired Verus Partners and its remaining stake in MBA Lazard, to fortify its financial advisory business footprint across America. Meanwhile, though the company's dependence on local and global economic conditions for revenue generation and regulatory pressure can hurt top-line growth in the near term, it is well positioned to grow organically, driven by its strength in its Financial Advisory and Asset Management segments. Further, focus on cost management should enhance the company’s profitability. Also, strong capital deployment activities help to boost shareholders’ value.
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.
Looking for Ideas with Even Greater Upside?
Today's investment ideas are short-term, directly based on our proven 1 to 3 month indicator. In addition, I invite you to consider our long-term opportunities. These rare trades look to start fast with strong Zacks Ranks, but carry through with double and triple-digit profit potential. Starting now, you can look inside our home run, value, and stocks under $10 portfolios, plus more. Click here for a peek at this private information >>