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Is Morgan Stanley (MS) a Great Stock for Value Investors?

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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 Morgan Stanley (MS - 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, Morgan Stanley has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 12.83, as you can see in the chart below:

This level is significantly favorable with the market at large, as the PE for the S&P 500 compares in at about 19.97. If we focus on the stock’s long-term PE trend, the current level puts Morgan Stanley’s current PE ratio somewhat below its midpoint (which is 14.31) over the past five years.

Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with the Zacks classified Financial-Investment Bank sector’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 14.57. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.

We should also point out that Morgan Stanley has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 12.47, so it is fair to say that a slightly more value-oriented path may be ahead for Morgan Stanley 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, Morgan Stanley has a P/S ratio of about 2.17. This is considerably lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.19 right now. Also, as we can see in the chart below, this is somewhat below the highs for this stock in particular over the past few years.

If anything, this suggests some level of undervalued trading—at least compared to historical norms.  

Broad Value Outlook

In aggregate, Morgan Stanley 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 MS a solid choice for value investors, and some of its other key metrics make this pretty clear too.

For example, the PEG ratio for Morgan Stanley is just 0.94, a level that is somewhat lower than the industry average of 1.35. The PEG ratio is a modified PE ratio that takes into account the stock’s earnings growth rate. Clearly, MS is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.

What About the Stock Overall?

Though Morgan Stanley 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 ‘F’ and a Momentum score of ‘D’. This gives MS a Zacks VGM score—or its overarching fundamental grade—of ‘D’. (You can read more about the Zacks Style Scores here >>)

Meanwhile, the company’s recent earnings estimates have been mixed at best. The current quarter has seen two estimates go lower in the past thirty days, compared to none higher, while the full year estimate has seen four upward and no downward revisions in the same time period.

This has had a mixed impact on the consensus estimate, as the current quarter consensus estimate has dipped 1.2% in the past one month, while the full year estimate has risen by about 2.1%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:

Morgan Stanley Price and Consensus

 

Morgan Stanley Price and Consensus | Morgan Stanley Quote

Despite this somewhat mixed trend, the stock has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) on the back of its strong value metrics and this is why we are expecting above-average performance from the company in the near-term.

Bottom Line

Morgan Stanley is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. Boasting a decent industry rank (Top 26% out of more than 250 industries) and a strong Zacks Rank, the company deserves attention right now. In fact, over the past one year, the Zacks Financial-Investment Bank sector has significantly outperformed the broader market, as you can see below:

So, it might pay for value investors to delve deeper into the company’s prospects, as fundamentals indicate that this stock could be a compelling pick.

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