Here at Zacks, our focus is on the proven Zacks Rank system, which emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find great stocks. Nevertheless, we are always paying attention to the latest value, growth, and momentum trends to underscore strong picks.
Of these, perhaps no stock market trend is more popular than value investing, which is a strategy that has proven to be successful in all sorts of market environments. Value investors use a variety of methods, including tried-and-true valuation metrics, to find these stocks.
Zacks has developed the innovative Style Scores system to highlight stocks with specific traits. For example, value investors will be interested in stocks with great grades in the "Value" category. When paired with a high Zacks Rank, "A" grades in the Value category are among the strongest value stocks on the market today.
One company value investors might notice is Resources Connection (RGP). RGP is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) and an A for Value. The stock holds a P/E ratio of 9.77, while its industry has an average P/E of 16.34. RGP's Forward P/E has been as high as 16.94 and as low as 7.47, with a median of 10.15, all within the past year.
Investors should also note that RGP holds a PEG ratio of 0.65. This figure is similar to the commonly-used P/E ratio, with the PEG ratio also factoring in a company's expected earnings growth rate. RGP's industry has an average PEG of 1.22 right now. Over the past 52 weeks, RGP's PEG has been as high as 1.09 and as low as 0.50, with a median of 0.67.
Another valuation metric that we should highlight is RGP's P/B ratio of 0.87. The P/B ratio is used to compare a stock's market value with its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. This stock's P/B looks attractive against its industry's average P/B of 2.05. RGP's P/B has been as high as 1.15 and as low as 0.65, with a median of 0.87, over the past year.
Finally, our model also underscores that RGP has a P/CF ratio of 9.44. This metric takes into account a company's operating cash flow and can be used to find stocks that are undervalued based on their solid cash outlook. RGP's P/CF compares to its industry's average P/CF of 13.90. Over the past year, RGP's P/CF has been as high as 15.36 and as low as 8.83, with a median of 12.04.
Value investors will likely look at more than just these metrics, but the above data helps show that Resources Connection is likely undervalued currently. And when considering the strength of its earnings outlook, RGP sticks out at as one of the market's strongest value stocks.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
