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Should Value Investors Buy Colfax (CFX) Stock?

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The proven Zacks Rank system focuses on earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find winning stocks. Nevertheless, we know that our readers all have their own perspectives, so we are always looking at the latest trends in value, growth, and momentum to find strong picks.

Looking at the history of these trends, perhaps none is more beloved than value investing. This strategy simply looks to identify companies that are being undervalued by the broader market. Value investors use tried-and-true metrics and fundamental analysis to find companies that they believe are undervalued at their current share price levels.

Luckily, Zacks has developed its own Style Scores system in an effort to find stocks with specific traits. Value investors will be interested in the system's "Value" category. Stocks with both "A" grades in the Value category and high Zacks Ranks are among the strongest value stocks on the market right now.

Colfax is a stock many investors are watching right now. CFX is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) and an A for Value. The stock has a Forward P/E ratio of 7.67. This compares to its industry's average Forward P/E of 15.32. Over the last 12 months, CFX's Forward P/E has been as high as 23.50 and as low as 7.24, with a median of 14.38.

Investors will also notice that CFX has a PEG ratio of 0.55. This popular figure is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also considers a company's expected EPS growth rate. CFX's PEG compares to its industry's average PEG of 1.25. CFX's PEG has been as high as 2.36 and as low as 0.51, with a median of 1.12, all within the past year.

Value investors also frequently use the P/S ratio. This metric is found by dividing a stock's price with the company's revenue. This is a popular metric because sales are harder to manipulate on an income statement, so they are often considered a better performance indicator. CFX has a P/S ratio of 0.67. This compares to its industry's average P/S of 1.29.

Finally, investors will want to recognize that CFX has a P/CF ratio of 5.58. This figure highlights a company's operating cash flow and can be used to find firms that are undervalued when considering their impressive cash outlook. CFX's P/CF compares to its industry's average P/CF of 13.47. Within the past 12 months, CFX's P/CF has been as high as 15.73 and as low as 5.26, with a median of 8.70.

These are just a handful of the figures considered in Colfax's great Value grade. Still, they help show that the stock is likely being undervalued at the moment. Add this to the strength of its earnings outlook, and we can clearly see that CFX is an impressive value stock right now.

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