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Can International Paper (IP) Prove to be Suitable Value Pick?
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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 International Paper Inc. (IP - 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, International Paper has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 19.8, 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 20.8. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, International Paper’s current PE level puts it above 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 industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 21.5. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should also point out that International Paper has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 17.1, so it is fair to say that a slightly more value-oriented path may be ahead for International Paper 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, International Paper has a P/S ratio of about 1.1. This is a bit lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.3x 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, suggesting some level of undervalued trading—at least compared to historical norms.
In aggregate, International Paper currently has a Value Score of B, putting it into the top 40% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes International Paper a solid choice for value investors, and some of its other key metrics make this pretty clear too.
For example, the PEG ratio for International Paper is just 1.8 a level that is lower than the industry average of 21. The PEG ratio is a modified PE ratio that takes into account the stock’s earnings growth rate. Clearly, IP is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though International Paper 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 C and a Momentum Score of F. This gives IP a Zacks VGM score — or its overarching fundamental grade — of C. (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 one estimate to go higher in the past sixty days compared to five lower, while the full year estimate has seen one up and six down in the same time period.
This has had a significant impact on the consensus estimate as the current quarter consensus estimate has fallen by 6.2% in the past two months, while the full year estimate has gone down by 3%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
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
International Paper is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. With a formidable industry rank (among the Top 27%), International Paperlooks like a strong value contender. In fact, over the past one year, the 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
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Can International Paper (IP) Prove to be Suitable Value Pick?
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 International Paper Inc. (IP - 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, International Paper has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 19.8, 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 20.8. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, International Paper’s current PE level puts it above 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 industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 21.5. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should also point out that International Paper has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 17.1, so it is fair to say that a slightly more value-oriented path may be ahead for International Paper 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, International Paper has a P/S ratio of about 1.1. This is a bit lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.3x 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, suggesting some level of undervalued trading—at least compared to historical norms.
Broad Value Outlook
In aggregate, International Paper currently has a Value Score of B, putting it into the top 40% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes International Paper a solid choice for value investors, and some of its other key metrics make this pretty clear too.
For example, the PEG ratio for International Paper is just 1.8 a level that is lower than the industry average of 21. The PEG ratio is a modified PE ratio that takes into account the stock’s earnings growth rate. Clearly, IP is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though International Paper 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 C and a Momentum Score of F. This gives IP a Zacks VGM score — or its overarching fundamental grade — of C. (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 one estimate to go higher in the past sixty days compared to five lower, while the full year estimate has seen one up and six down in the same time period.
This has had a significant impact on the consensus estimate as the current quarter consensus estimate has fallen by 6.2% in the past two months, while the full year estimate has gone down by 3%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
International Paper Company Price and Consensus
International Paper Company Price and Consensus | International Paper Company 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
International Paper is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. With a formidable industry rank (among the Top 27%), International Paperlooks like a strong value contender. In fact, over the past one year, the 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
4 Stocks to Watch after the Massive Equifax Hack
Cybersecurity stocks spiked on recent news of a data breach affecting 143 million Americans. But which stocks are the best buy candidates right now? And what does the future hold for the cybersecurity industry?
Equifax is just the most recent victim. Computer hacking and identity theft are more common than ever. Zacks has just released Cybersecurity! An Investor’s Guide to inform Zacks.com readers about this $170 billion/year space. More importantly, it highlights 4 cybersecurity picks with strong profit potential.
Get the new Investing Guide now>>