We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
Is TreeHouse Foods (THS) a Great Stock for Value Investors?
Read MoreHide Full Article
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 TreeHouse Foods, Inc. (THS - 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, TreeHouse Foods has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 14.7, 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 21.2x. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, TreeHouse Foods’ 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 broader industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 21.2. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should also point out that TreeHouse Foods has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 15.5, which is tad higher than the current level. So it is fair to expect an increase in the company’s share price in the near term.
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, TreeHouse Foods has a P/S ratio of about 0.4. This is a bit lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.4x 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, THS 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, TreeHouse Foods currently has a Value Score of A, putting it into the top 20% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes TreeHouse Foods a solid choice for value investors.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though TreeHouse Foods 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 D. This gives THS a Zacks VGM score — or its overarching fundamental grade — ofC. (You can read more about the Zacks Style Scores here >>)
Meanwhile, the company’s recent earnings estimates have been favorable. For the full year, there were no estimate revisions, however, for the next year one estimate moved up, compared to no movements in the opposite directions in the last two months.
This has had just a small impact on the consensus estimate though as the full year quarter consensus estimate remained constant in the past two months, while the next year estimate has inched upper by 0.02%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
This somewhat mixed 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
TreeHouse Foods is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. Further, a strong industry rank (among Top 46% of more than 250 industries) boosts investor confidence.
However, with a Zacks Rank #3, it is hard to get too excited about this company overall. In fact, over the past two years, the broader industry has clearly underperformed the market at large, 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.
Zacks Top 10 Stocks for 2018
In addition to the stocks discussed above, would you like to know about our 10 finest buy-and-hold tickers for the entirety of 2018?
Last year's 2017 Zacks Top 10 Stocks portfolio produced double-digit winners, including FMC Corp. and VMware which racked up stellar gains of +67.9% and +61%. Now a brand-new portfolio has been handpicked from over 4,000 companies covered by the Zacks Rank. Don’t miss your chance to get in on these long-term buys.
Image: Bigstock
Is TreeHouse Foods (THS) 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 TreeHouse Foods, Inc. (THS - 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, TreeHouse Foods has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 14.7, 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 21.2x. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, TreeHouse Foods’ 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 broader industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 21.2. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should also point out that TreeHouse Foods has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 15.5, which is tad higher than the current level. So it is fair to expect an increase in the company’s share price in the near term.
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, TreeHouse Foods has a P/S ratio of about 0.4. This is a bit lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.4x 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, THS 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, TreeHouse Foods currently has a Value Score of A, putting it into the top 20% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes TreeHouse Foods a solid choice for value investors.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though TreeHouse Foods 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 D. This gives THS a Zacks VGM score — or its overarching fundamental grade — ofC. (You can read more about the Zacks Style Scores here >>)
Meanwhile, the company’s recent earnings estimates have been favorable. For the full year, there were no estimate revisions, however, for the next year one estimate moved up, compared to no movements in the opposite directions in the last two months.
This has had just a small impact on the consensus estimate though as the full year quarter consensus estimate remained constant in the past two months, while the next year estimate has inched upper by 0.02%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
Treehouse Foods, Inc. Price and Consensus
Treehouse Foods, Inc. Price and Consensus | Treehouse Foods, Inc. Quote
This somewhat mixed 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
TreeHouse Foods is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. Further, a strong industry rank (among Top 46% of more than 250 industries) boosts investor confidence.
However, with a Zacks Rank #3, it is hard to get too excited about this company overall. In fact, over the past two years, the broader industry has clearly underperformed the market at large, 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.
Zacks Top 10 Stocks for 2018
In addition to the stocks discussed above, would you like to know about our 10 finest buy-and-hold tickers for the entirety of 2018?
Last year's 2017 Zacks Top 10 Stocks portfolio produced double-digit winners, including FMC Corp. and VMware which racked up stellar gains of +67.9% and +61%. Now a brand-new portfolio has been handpicked from over 4,000 companies covered by the Zacks Rank. Don’t miss your chance to get in on these long-term buys.
Access Zacks Top 10 Stocks for 2018 today >>