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Does Robert Half (RHI) Look To Be 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 Robert Half International Inc. (RHI - 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, Robert Half has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 17.32, 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 compares in at about 20.19. If we focus on the stock’s long-term PE trend, the current level puts Robert Half’s current PE ratio below its midpoint over the past five years, with the number having risen rapidly over the past few months.
Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with the Zacks classified Business Services industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 23.73. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should also point out that Robert Half has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of 17.22, so it is fair to say that a slightly more value-oriented path may be ahead for Robert Half 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, Robert Half has a P/S ratio of about 1.11. This is a bit lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.12 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, RHI 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, Robert Half 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 Robert Half a solid choice for value investors, and some of its other key metrics make this pretty clear too.
For example, the PEG ratio for Robert Half is just 1.15, lower than the industry average of 1.22. The PEG ratio is a modified PE ratio that takes into account the stock’s earnings growth rate. Clearly, RHI is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though Robert Half 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 ‘D’. This gives RHI 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 discouraging. The current quarter has seen no estimate going higher in the past sixty days compared to six lower, while the full year estimate has seen one 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 7.1% in the past two months, while the full year estimate has inched lower by 1.5%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
Robert Half International Inc. Price and Consensus
This bearish 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
Robert Half is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. Moreover, a strong industry rank (Top 18% out of more than 250 industries) strengthens its growth potential. In fact, over the past five years, the Zacks Business Service industry has clearly outperformed the broader market, as you can see below:
So, value investors might want to wait for estimates and analyst sentiment to turn around in this name first, but once that happens, this stock could be a compelling pick.
More Stock News: 8 Companies Verge on Apple-Like Run
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A bonus Zacks Special Report names this breakthrough and the 8 best stocks to exploit it. Like Apple in 2007, these companies are already strong and coiling for potential mega-gains. Click to see them right now >>
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Does Robert Half (RHI) Look To Be 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 Robert Half International Inc. (RHI - 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, Robert Half has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 17.32, 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 compares in at about 20.19. If we focus on the stock’s long-term PE trend, the current level puts Robert Half’s current PE ratio below its midpoint over the past five years, with the number having risen rapidly over the past few months.
Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with the Zacks classified Business Services industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 23.73. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should also point out that Robert Half has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of 17.22, so it is fair to say that a slightly more value-oriented path may be ahead for Robert Half 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, Robert Half has a P/S ratio of about 1.11. This is a bit lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.12 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, RHI 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, Robert Half 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 Robert Half a solid choice for value investors, and some of its other key metrics make this pretty clear too.
For example, the PEG ratio for Robert Half is just 1.15, lower than the industry average of 1.22. The PEG ratio is a modified PE ratio that takes into account the stock’s earnings growth rate. Clearly, RHI is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though Robert Half 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 ‘D’. This gives RHI 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 discouraging. The current quarter has seen no estimate going higher in the past sixty days compared to six lower, while the full year estimate has seen one 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 7.1% in the past two months, while the full year estimate has inched lower by 1.5%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
Robert Half International Inc. Price and Consensus
Robert Half International Inc. Price and Consensus | Robert Half International Inc. Quote
This bearish 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
Robert Half is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. Moreover, a strong industry rank (Top 18% out of more than 250 industries) strengthens its growth potential. In fact, over the past five years, the Zacks Business Service industry has clearly outperformed the broader market, as you can see below:
So, value investors might want to wait for estimates and analyst sentiment to turn around in this name first, but once that happens, this stock could be a compelling pick.
More Stock News: 8 Companies Verge on Apple-Like Run
Did you miss Apple's 9X stock explosion after they launched their iPhone in 2007? Now 2017 looks to be a pivotal year to get in on another emerging technology expected to rock the market. Demand could soar from almost nothing to $42 billion by 2025. Reports suggest it could save 10 million lives per decade which could in turn save $200 billion in U.S. healthcare costs.
A bonus Zacks Special Report names this breakthrough and the 8 best stocks to exploit it. Like Apple in 2007, these companies are already strong and coiling for potential mega-gains. Click to see them right now >>