For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL –August 02, 2017 - Stocks in this week’s article include Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. (NYSE:VSH – Free Report), Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE:BIG – Free Report), Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT – Free Report) and Lannett Company, Inc. (NYSE:LCI – Free Report).
4 Low Price-to-Cash-Flow Stocks for Assured Returns
Investors always try to hit the jackpot while picking stocks. But striking the right chord each time is not easy unless you are blessed with Midas touch.
When it comes to the investment market, experts consider value style as one of the most effective approaches. In value investing, investors pick stocks that are cheap but fundamentally sound. So, the chance of outperformance is high when the market moves higher.
There are different valuation metrics to determine a stock’s inherent strength but a random selection of ratios cannot serve your purpose if you want a realistic assessment of a company’s financial position. For this, we would suggest considering Price to Cash Flow (or P/CF) as one of the key metrics. This metric evaluates the market price of a stock relative to the amount of cash flow that the company is generating on a per-share basis – the lower the number, the better.
Price to Cash Flow Reveals Financial Health
Questions may arise as to why we are considering the Price to Cash Flow valuation metric, when the most widely used metric is Price/Earnings (or P/E). Well, what makes P/CF stand out is that operating cash flow adds back non-cash charges such as depreciation and amortization to net income, truly reflecting the financial health of a company.
Analysts caution that a company’s earnings are subject to accounting estimates and management manipulation. On the other hand, cash flow is reliable. It is net cash flow that reveals how much money a company is actually generating and how effectively management is putting the same to use.
A positive cash flow indicates an increase in the company’s liquid assets. This gives the company the means to settle debt, shell out for its expenses, reinvest in its business, endure downturns and finally pay back its shareholders. On the other hand, a negative cash flow implies a decline in the company’s liquidity, which in turn lowers its flexibility to support these moves.
What’s the Optimum Strategy?
However, an investment decision solely based on the P/CF metric may not fetch the desired results. To identify stocks that are trading at a discount, you should expand your search criteria and take into account price-to-book, price-to-earnings and price-to-sales ratios. Adding a favorable Zacks Rank and a Value Score of “A” or “B” to your search criteria should give you even better results as they eliminate the chance of falling into a value trap.
Here are the parameters for selecting true value stocks:
P/CF less than or equal to X-Industry Median.
Price greater than or equal to 5: The stocks must all be trading at a minimum of $5 or higher.
Average 20-Day Volume greater than 100,000:A substantial trading volume ensures that the stock is easily tradable.
P/E using (F1) less than or equal to X-Industry Median:This parameter shortlists stocks that are trading at a discount or are equal to its peers.
P/B less than or equal to X-Industry Median: A lower P/B compared with the industry average implies that there is enough room for the stock to gain.
P/S less than or equal to X-Industry Median: The P/S ratio determines how a stock price compares to the company’s sales — the lower the ratio the more attractive the stock is.
PEG less than 1:The ratio is used to determine a stock's value by taking the company's earnings growth into account. PEG ratio portrays a more complete picture than the P/E ratio. A value of less than 1 indicates that the stock is undervalued and that investors need to pay less for a stock that has robust earnings growth prospect.
Zacks Rank less than or equal to 2: Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) stocks are known to outperform irrespective of the market environment.
Value Score of less than or equal to B: Our research shows that stocks with a Style Score of ‘A’ or ‘B’ when combined with Zacks Rank #1 or 2 offer the best upside potential.
Here are four of the nine stocks that qualified the screening:
Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. (NYSE:VSH – Free Report) manufactures and supplies discrete semiconductors and passive components. The company has an expected EPS growth rate of 15.2% for 3–5 years and flaunts a Zacks Rank #1. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE:BIG – Free Report), which operates as a non-traditional discount retailer, has an expected EPS growth rate of 13.5% for 3–5 years. The company, which holds a Zacks Rank #2, delivered an average positive earnings surprise of 83% over the trailing four quarters.
Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT – Free Report) provides manufacturing equipment, services and software to the semiconductor, display, and related industries. It carries a Zacks Rank #2 and has an expected EPS growth rate of 16.6% for 3–5 years. The company delivered positive earnings surprises in the trailing four quarters at an average of 3.4%.
Lannett Company, Inc. (NYSE:LCI – Free Report) develops, manufactures, packages and distributes generic versions of brand pharmaceutical products. It has a Zacks Rank #2 and has a 12.5% expected EPS growth rate for 3–5 years. The company delivered positive earnings surprises in the trailing four quarters at an average of 7.8%.
Get the rest of the stocks on the list and start putting this and other ideas to the test. It can all be done with the Research Wizard stock picking and backtesting software.
The Research Wizard is a great place to begin. It's easy to use. Everything is in plain language. And it's very intuitive. Start your Research Wizard trial today. And the next time you read an economic report, open up the Research Wizard, plug your finds in, and see what gems come out.
Click here to sign up for a free trial to the Research Wizard today.
About Screen of the Week
Zacks.com created the first and best screening system on the web earning the distinction as the "#1 site for screening stocks" by Money Magazine. But powerful screening tools is just the start. That is why Zacks created the Screen of the Week to highlight profitable stock picking strategies that investors can actively use. Each week, Zacks Profit from the Pros free email newsletter shares a new screening strategy. Learn more about it here https://at.zacks.com/?id=112
About Zacks
Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978. The later formation of the Zacks Rank, a proprietary stock picking system; continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time!Click here for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros.
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Contact: Jim Giaquinto
Company: Zacks.com
Phone: 312-265-9268
Email: pr@zacks.com
Visit: https://www.zacks.com/performance
Zacks.com provides investment resources and informs you of these resources, which you may choose to use in making your own investment decisions. Zacks is providing information on this resource to you subject to the Zacks "Terms and Conditions of Service" disclaimer. www.zacks.com/disclaimer.
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performancefor information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
Image: Bigstock
Zacks.com featured highlights: Vishay Intertechnology, Big Lots, Applied Materials and Lannett Company
For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL –August 02, 2017 - Stocks in this week’s article include Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. (NYSE:VSH – Free Report), Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE:BIG – Free Report), Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT – Free Report) and Lannett Company, Inc. (NYSE:LCI – Free Report).
4 Low Price-to-Cash-Flow Stocks for Assured Returns
Investors always try to hit the jackpot while picking stocks. But striking the right chord each time is not easy unless you are blessed with Midas touch.
When it comes to the investment market, experts consider value style as one of the most effective approaches. In value investing, investors pick stocks that are cheap but fundamentally sound. So, the chance of outperformance is high when the market moves higher.
There are different valuation metrics to determine a stock’s inherent strength but a random selection of ratios cannot serve your purpose if you want a realistic assessment of a company’s financial position. For this, we would suggest considering Price to Cash Flow (or P/CF) as one of the key metrics. This metric evaluates the market price of a stock relative to the amount of cash flow that the company is generating on a per-share basis – the lower the number, the better.
Price to Cash Flow Reveals Financial Health
Questions may arise as to why we are considering the Price to Cash Flow valuation metric, when the most widely used metric is Price/Earnings (or P/E). Well, what makes P/CF stand out is that operating cash flow adds back non-cash charges such as depreciation and amortization to net income, truly reflecting the financial health of a company.
Analysts caution that a company’s earnings are subject to accounting estimates and management manipulation. On the other hand, cash flow is reliable. It is net cash flow that reveals how much money a company is actually generating and how effectively management is putting the same to use.
A positive cash flow indicates an increase in the company’s liquid assets. This gives the company the means to settle debt, shell out for its expenses, reinvest in its business, endure downturns and finally pay back its shareholders. On the other hand, a negative cash flow implies a decline in the company’s liquidity, which in turn lowers its flexibility to support these moves.
What’s the Optimum Strategy?
However, an investment decision solely based on the P/CF metric may not fetch the desired results. To identify stocks that are trading at a discount, you should expand your search criteria and take into account price-to-book, price-to-earnings and price-to-sales ratios. Adding a favorable Zacks Rank and a Value Score of “A” or “B” to your search criteria should give you even better results as they eliminate the chance of falling into a value trap.
Here are the parameters for selecting true value stocks:
P/CF less than or equal to X-Industry Median.
Price greater than or equal to 5: The stocks must all be trading at a minimum of $5 or higher.
Average 20-Day Volume greater than 100,000:A substantial trading volume ensures that the stock is easily tradable.
P/E using (F1) less than or equal to X-Industry Median:This parameter shortlists stocks that are trading at a discount or are equal to its peers.
P/B less than or equal to X-Industry Median: A lower P/B compared with the industry average implies that there is enough room for the stock to gain.
P/S less than or equal to X-Industry Median: The P/S ratio determines how a stock price compares to the company’s sales — the lower the ratio the more attractive the stock is.
PEG less than 1:The ratio is used to determine a stock's value by taking the company's earnings growth into account. PEG ratio portrays a more complete picture than the P/E ratio. A value of less than 1 indicates that the stock is undervalued and that investors need to pay less for a stock that has robust earnings growth prospect.
Zacks Rank less than or equal to 2: Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) stocks are known to outperform irrespective of the market environment.
Value Score of less than or equal to B: Our research shows that stocks with a Style Score of ‘A’ or ‘B’ when combined with Zacks Rank #1 or 2 offer the best upside potential.
Here are four of the nine stocks that qualified the screening:
Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. (NYSE:VSH – Free Report) manufactures and supplies discrete semiconductors and passive components. The company has an expected EPS growth rate of 15.2% for 3–5 years and flaunts a Zacks Rank #1. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE:BIG – Free Report), which operates as a non-traditional discount retailer, has an expected EPS growth rate of 13.5% for 3–5 years. The company, which holds a Zacks Rank #2, delivered an average positive earnings surprise of 83% over the trailing four quarters.
Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT – Free Report) provides manufacturing equipment, services and software to the semiconductor, display, and related industries. It carries a Zacks Rank #2 and has an expected EPS growth rate of 16.6% for 3–5 years. The company delivered positive earnings surprises in the trailing four quarters at an average of 3.4%.
Lannett Company, Inc. (NYSE:LCI – Free Report) develops, manufactures, packages and distributes generic versions of brand pharmaceutical products. It has a Zacks Rank #2 and has a 12.5% expected EPS growth rate for 3–5 years. The company delivered positive earnings surprises in the trailing four quarters at an average of 7.8%.
Get the rest of the stocks on the list and start putting this and other ideas to the test. It can all be done with the Research Wizard stock picking and backtesting software.
The Research Wizard is a great place to begin. It's easy to use. Everything is in plain language. And it's very intuitive. Start your Research Wizard trial today. And the next time you read an economic report, open up the Research Wizard, plug your finds in, and see what gems come out.
Click here to sign up for a free trial to the Research Wizard today.
About Screen of the Week
Zacks.com created the first and best screening system on the web earning the distinction as the "#1 site for screening stocks" by Money Magazine. But powerful screening tools is just the start. That is why Zacks created the Screen of the Week to highlight profitable stock picking strategies that investors can actively use. Each week, Zacks Profit from the Pros free email newsletter shares a new screening strategy. Learn more about it here https://at.zacks.com/?id=112
About Zacks
Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978. The later formation of the Zacks Rank, a proprietary stock picking system; continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time!Click here for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros.
Get the full Report on VSH - FREE
Get the full Report on BIG - FREE
Get the full Report on AMAT - FREE
Get the full Report on LCI - FREE
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/zacksresearch
Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZacksInvestmentResearch
Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.
Contact: Jim Giaquinto
Company: Zacks.com
Phone: 312-265-9268
Email: pr@zacks.com
Visit: https://www.zacks.com/performance
Zacks.com provides investment resources and informs you of these resources, which you may choose to use in making your own investment decisions. Zacks is providing information on this resource to you subject to the Zacks "Terms and Conditions of Service" disclaimer. www.zacks.com/disclaimer.
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performancefor information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.