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 Party City Holdco Inc. 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, Party City has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 10.6, 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 19.8x. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, Party City’s current PE level puts it below its midpoint over the past five years, with the number remaining stable over the past few months.
Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with its industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 51.9. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should also point out that Party City has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 8.4, so it is fair to say that a slightly more value-oriented path may be ahead for Party City 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, Party City has a P/S ratio of about 0.6. 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, PRTY 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, Party City currently has a Value Score of A, putting it into the top 20% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes Party City a solid choice for value investors, and some of its other key metrics make this pretty clear too.
For example, the PEG ratio for Party City is just 0.4, a level that is far lower than the industry average of 1.6. The PEG ratio is a modified PE ratio that considers the stock’s earnings growth rate. Additionally, its P/CF ratio (another great indicator of value) comes in at 7.8, which is far better than the industry average of 9.3. Clearly, PRTY is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though Party City 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 B. This gives PRTY 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 downbeat. The current year has seen two estimates go lower in the past sixty days, while the next year estimate has seen two down in the same time period.
This has had just a small impact on the consensus estimate though as the current year consensus estimate remained stable in the past two months, while the next year estimate has inched lower by 0.5%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
The stock has just a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) and we are looking for in-line performance from the company in the near term.
Bottom Line
Party City 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 16% of more than 250 industries) instills our 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.
The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of All
Last year, it generated $8 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $47 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce ""the world's first trillionaires,"" but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early.
See Zacks' 3 Best Stocks to Play This Trend >>
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Is Party City (PRTY) 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 Party City Holdco Inc. 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, Party City has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 10.6, 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 19.8x. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, Party City’s current PE level puts it below its midpoint over the past five years, with the number remaining stable over the past few months.
Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with its industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 51.9. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should also point out that Party City has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 8.4, so it is fair to say that a slightly more value-oriented path may be ahead for Party City 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, Party City has a P/S ratio of about 0.6. 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, PRTY 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, Party City currently has a Value Score of A, putting it into the top 20% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes Party City a solid choice for value investors, and some of its other key metrics make this pretty clear too.
For example, the PEG ratio for Party City is just 0.4, a level that is far lower than the industry average of 1.6. The PEG ratio is a modified PE ratio that considers the stock’s earnings growth rate. Additionally, its P/CF ratio (another great indicator of value) comes in at 7.8, which is far better than the industry average of 9.3. Clearly, PRTY is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though Party City 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 B. This gives PRTY 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 downbeat. The current year has seen two estimates go lower in the past sixty days, while the next year estimate has seen two down in the same time period.
This has had just a small impact on the consensus estimate though as the current year consensus estimate remained stable in the past two months, while the next year estimate has inched lower by 0.5%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
Party City Holdco Inc. Price and Consensus
Party City Holdco Inc. Price and Consensus | Party City Holdco Inc. Quote
The stock has just a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) and we are looking for in-line performance from the company in the near term.
Bottom Line
Party City 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 16% of more than 250 industries) instills our 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.
The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of All
Last year, it generated $8 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $47 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce ""the world's first trillionaires,"" but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early.
See Zacks' 3 Best Stocks to Play This Trend >>