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 Deutsche Telekom AG (DTEGY Quick QuoteDTEGY - 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, Deutsche Telekom has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 18.0, 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 21.9. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, Deutsche Telekom’s current PE level is almost in line with its midpoint over the past five years, with the number remaining more or less stable over the past few months. Moreover, the current level is fairly below the highs for this stock, suggesting it might be a good entry point.



However, the stock’s PE compares slightly unfavorably with the sector’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 17.4. This indicates that the stock is relatively overvalued right now, compared to its peers.




Nonetheless, we should point out that Deutsche Telekom has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 14.8, so it is fair to say that a slightly more value-oriented path may be ahead for Deutsche Telekom 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, Deutsche Telekom has a P/S ratio of about 1.0. This is lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.5 right now. As we can see in the chart below, this is only slightly below the highs for this stock in particular over the past few years.



DTEGY is actually trading at its median value for the time period from a P/S metric. This does not provide us with a conclusive direction as to the relative valuation of the stock in comparison to its historical trend.

Broad Value Outlook

In aggregate, Deutsche Telekom 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 Deutsche Telekom a solid choice for value investors, and some of its other key metrics make this pretty clear too.

For example, the PEG ratio for Deutsche Telekom is just 1.6, a level that is lower than the industry average of 2.4. The PEG ratio is a modified PE ratio that takes into account the stock’s earnings growth rate. Additionally, its P/CF ratio (another great indicator of value) comes in at 4.4, which is far better than the industry average of 7.2. Clearly, DTEGY is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.

What About the Stock Overall?

Though Deutsche Telekom 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 A. This gives DTEGY 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 trending higher. Full year 2017 as well as 2018 has seen two estimates each go higher in the past sixty days compared to none lower.

As a result, the 2017 consensus estimate has risen by 4.2% in the past two months, while the 2018 estimate has increased 9.9%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:

This favorable trend is why the stock has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and why we are looking for outperformance from the company in the near term.  

Bottom Line

Deutsche Telekom is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. Its strong Zacks Rank also indicates robust growth potential in the near future. However, the company’s prospects might be constrained due to adverse broader factors, as it has a sluggish industry rank (Bottom 34% out of more than 250 industries). In fact, over the past two years, the industry has clearly underperformed the broader market, as you can see below:




So, value investors might want to wait for the broader factors to turn around in this name first, but once that happens, this stock could be a compelling pick.

Zacks’ Best Private Investment Ideas

While we are happy to share many articles like this on the website, our best recommendations and most in-depth research are not available to the public.

Starting today, for the next month, you can follow all Zacks' private buys and sells in real time. Our experts cover all kinds of trades… from value to momentum . . . from stocks under $10 to ETF and option moves . . . from stocks that corporate insiders are buying up to companies that are about to report positive earnings surprises. You can even look inside exclusive portfolios that are normally closed to new investors.

Click here for Zacks' private trades >>