Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Is Honda Motor (HMC) a Great Value Stock Right Now?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Here at Zacks, we focus on our proven ranking system, which places an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, to find winning stocks. But we also understand that investors develop their own strategies, so we are constantly looking at the latest trends in value, growth, and momentum to find strong companies for our readers.

Considering these trends, value investing is clearly one of the most preferred ways to find strong stocks in any type of market. Value investors use a variety of methods, including tried-and-true valuation metrics, to find these stocks.

On top of the Zacks Rank, investors can also look at our innovative Style Scores system to find stocks with specific traits. For example, value investors will want to focus on the "Value" category. Stocks with high Zacks Ranks and "A" grades for Value will be some of the highest-quality value stocks on the market today.

One stock to keep an eye on is Honda Motor (HMC - Free Report) . HMC is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) and an A for Value. The stock has a Forward P/E ratio of 7.40. This compares to its industry's average Forward P/E of 7.78. Over the past 52 weeks, HMC's Forward P/E has been as high as 10.71 and as low as 6.35, with a median of 8.80.

Another notable valuation metric for HMC is its P/B ratio of 0.64. The P/B is a method of comparing a stock's market value to its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. This stock's P/B looks solid versus its industry's average P/B of 0.92. HMC's P/B has been as high as 0.88 and as low as 0.61, with a median of 0.79, over the past year.

Value investors also use the P/S ratio. The P/S ratio is is calculated as price divided by sales. This is a prefered metric because revenue can't really be manipulated, so sales are often a truer performance indicator. HMC has a P/S ratio of 0.35. This compares to its industry's average P/S of 0.4.

Finally, we should also recognize that HMC has a P/CF ratio of 2.93. This metric focuses on a firm's operating cash flow and is often used to find stocks that are undervalued based on the strength of their cash outlook. This company's current P/CF looks solid when compared to its industry's average P/CF of 3. HMC's P/CF has been as high as 5.13 and as low as 2.75, with a median of 3.58, all within the past year.

These figures are just a handful of the metrics value investors tend to look at, but they help show that Honda Motor is likely being undervalued right now. Considering this, as well as the strength of its earnings outlook, HMC feels like a great value stock at the moment.


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:


Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (HMC) - free report >>

Published in