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Xerox Corporation: Is XRX a Good 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 Xerox Corporation (XRX - 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, Xerox Corporation has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 8.9x, 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 19.9x. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, Xerox Corporation’s current PE level puts it below its midpoint of 9.5x over the past five years. Moreover, the current level stands well below the highs for the stock, suggesting that it could be a solid entry point.
Further, the stock’s PE compares favorably with the Zacks Business Services sector’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 23.9x. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should point out that Xerox Corporation has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of 9.4x, so it is fair to expect an increase in the company’s share price in the near future.
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, Xerox Corporation has a P/S ratio of about 0.7x. This is way lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.1x right now. Thus, the stock is undervalued from this aspect too.
Broad Value Outlook
In aggregate, Xerox Corporation currently has a Zacks Value Style Score of A, putting it into the top 20% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes Xerox Corporation a solid choice for value investors, and some of its other key metrics make this pretty clear too.
For example, the P/CF ratio (another great indicator of value) for Xerox Corporation is just 6.7x, a level that is lower than the industry average of 8.3x. Clearly, XRX is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though Xerox Corporation 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 D and a Momentum score of B. This gives XRX a Zacks VGM score—or its overarching fundamental grade—of B. (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 sixty days compared to no upward revisions, while the full year estimate has seen one 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 tumbled 10.2% in the past two months, while the full year estimate has inched higher by 0.6%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
This somewhat mixed 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
Xerox Corporation is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. While the stock has a Zacks Rank #3, its solid Zacks Industry Rank (Top 39% out of 265 Zacks industries) indicates that the broader factors are favorable for the company.
So, value investors might want to wait for estimates to turn around in this name first, but once that happens, this stock could be a compelling pick.
One Simple Trading Idea
Since 1988, the Zacks system has more than doubled the S&P 500 with an average gain of +25% per year. With compounding, rebalancing, and exclusive of fees, it can turn thousands into millions of dollars.
This proven stock-picking system is grounded on a single big idea that can be fortune shaping and life changing. You can apply it to your portfolio starting today.
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Xerox Corporation: Is XRX a Good Stock for Value Investors?
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?
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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 Xerox Corporation (XRX - 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, Xerox Corporation has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 8.9x, 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 19.9x. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, Xerox Corporation’s current PE level puts it below its midpoint of 9.5x over the past five years. Moreover, the current level stands well below the highs for the stock, suggesting that it could be a solid entry point.
Further, the stock’s PE compares favorably with the Zacks Business Services sector’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 23.9x. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should point out that Xerox Corporation has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of 9.4x, so it is fair to expect an increase in the company’s share price in the near future.
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, Xerox Corporation has a P/S ratio of about 0.7x. This is way lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.1x right now. Thus, the stock is undervalued from this aspect too.
Broad Value Outlook
In aggregate, Xerox Corporation currently has a Zacks Value Style Score of A, putting it into the top 20% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes Xerox Corporation a solid choice for value investors, and some of its other key metrics make this pretty clear too.
For example, the P/CF ratio (another great indicator of value) for Xerox Corporation is just 6.7x, a level that is lower than the industry average of 8.3x. Clearly, XRX is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though Xerox Corporation 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 D and a Momentum score of B. This gives XRX a Zacks VGM score—or its overarching fundamental grade—of B. (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 sixty days compared to no upward revisions, while the full year estimate has seen one 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 tumbled 10.2% in the past two months, while the full year estimate has inched higher by 0.6%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
Xerox Corporation Price and Consensus
Xerox Corporation Price and Consensus | Xerox Corporation Quote
This somewhat mixed 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
Xerox Corporation is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. While the stock has a Zacks Rank #3, its solid Zacks Industry Rank (Top 39% out of 265 Zacks industries) indicates that the broader factors are favorable for the company.
So, value investors might want to wait for estimates to turn around in this name first, but once that happens, this stock could be a compelling pick.
One Simple Trading Idea
Since 1988, the Zacks system has more than doubled the S&P 500 with an average gain of +25% per year. With compounding, rebalancing, and exclusive of fees, it can turn thousands into millions of dollars.
This proven stock-picking system is grounded on a single big idea that can be fortune shaping and life changing. You can apply it to your portfolio starting today.
Learn more >>