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Is Associated British Foods (ASBFY) a 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 Associated British Foods plc (ASBFY - 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, Associated British Foods has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 15.5, 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 17.0. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, Associated British Foods’ current PE level puts it below its midpoint over the past five years. Moreover, the current level is fairly below the highs for this stock, suggesting it might be a good entry point.
Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with the industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 17.6. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should also point out that Associated British Foods has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of 15.5, which is in line with the current level. Hence the forward earnings estimates are already incorporated in the company’s current share price.
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, Associated British Foods has a P/S ratio of about 1.1. This is lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.0 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, ASBFY 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, Associated British Foods currently has a Zacks Value Style Score of B, putting it into the top 40% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes Associated British Foods a solid choice for value investors.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though Associated British 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 grade of B and a Momentum score of A. This gives ASBFY 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 lower. The current fiscal year as well as the next year has seen no estimates go higher in the past sixty days compared to one lower.
As a result, the current fiscal year consensus estimate has fallen by 1.1% in the past two months, while the next fiscal year estimate has decreased 1%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
This somewhat negative 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
Associated British Foods is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. However, with a sluggish industry rank (among the bottom 19%) and a Zacks Rank #3, it is hard to get too excited about this company overall. 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 estimates, analyst sentiment and broader factors 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.
Image: Bigstock
Is Associated British Foods (ASBFY) a 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 Associated British Foods plc (ASBFY - 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, Associated British Foods has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 15.5, 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 17.0. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, Associated British Foods’ current PE level puts it below its midpoint over the past five years. Moreover, the current level is fairly below the highs for this stock, suggesting it might be a good entry point.
Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with the industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 17.6. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should also point out that Associated British Foods has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of 15.5, which is in line with the current level. Hence the forward earnings estimates are already incorporated in the company’s current share price.
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, Associated British Foods has a P/S ratio of about 1.1. This is lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.0 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, ASBFY 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, Associated British Foods currently has a Zacks Value Style Score of B, putting it into the top 40% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes Associated British Foods a solid choice for value investors.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though Associated British 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 grade of B and a Momentum score of A. This gives ASBFY 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 lower. The current fiscal year as well as the next year has seen no estimates go higher in the past sixty days compared to one lower.
As a result, the current fiscal year consensus estimate has fallen by 1.1% in the past two months, while the next fiscal year estimate has decreased 1%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
Associated British Foods PLC Price and Consensus
Associated British Foods PLC Price and Consensus | Associated British Foods PLC Quote
This somewhat negative 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
Associated British Foods is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. However, with a sluggish industry rank (among the bottom 19%) and a Zacks Rank #3, it is hard to get too excited about this company overall. 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 estimates, analyst sentiment and broader factors 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 >>