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Is Kohl's Corporation (KSS) 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 Kohl's Corporation (KSS - 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, Kohl’s Corp has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 11.4, 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 20.3. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, Kohl’s Corp’s current PE level puts it below its midpoint over the past five years, with the number having risen rapidly over the past few months.
Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with the industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 33.6. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should also point out that Kohl’s Corp has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 11.6, so it is fair to say that the stock price might slightly appreciate in 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, Kohl’s Corp has a P/S ratio of about 0.4. This is a bit lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.2x right now. Also, as we can see in the chart below, this is well below the highs for this stock in particular over the past few years.
If anything, KSS is in the lower end of its range in the time period from a P/S metric, suggesting some level of undervalued trading—at least compared to historical norms.
Broad Value Outlook
In aggregate, Kohl’s Corp currently has a Value Score of A, putting it into the top 20% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes Kohl’s Corp a solid choice for value investors.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though Kohl’s Corp 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 Score of A and a Momentum Score of B. This gives KSS a Zacks VGM score — or its overarching fundamental grade — of A. (You can read more about the Zacks Style Scores here >>)
Meanwhile, the company’s recent earnings estimate revisions have been pretty favorable. The current quarter has seen five estimates go higher in the past sixty days compared to no lower, while the full year estimate has seen eight up and no down in the same time period.
This has had a significant impact on the consensus estimate as the current quarter consensus estimate has risen by 10.8% in the past two months and the full year estimate has gone up by 4%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
Despite having a bullish trend, KSS sports a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). This indicates that analysts have some apprehensions about the stock in the immediate future. Thus, we are looking for in-line performance from the company in the near term.
Bottom Line
Kohl’s Corp is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. Moreover, a strong industry rank (Top 39% out of more than 250 industries) further strengthens its growth potential. In fact, over the past three months, the industry has clearly outperformed the broader market, as you can see below:
So, despite a Zacks Rank #3, we believe that bullish analyst sentiment and favorable industry factors make this value stock a compelling pick.
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Is Kohl's Corporation (KSS) a Great 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?
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 Kohl's Corporation (KSS - 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, Kohl’s Corp has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 11.4, 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 20.3. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, Kohl’s Corp’s current PE level puts it below its midpoint over the past five years, with the number having risen rapidly over the past few months.
Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with the industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 33.6. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should also point out that Kohl’s Corp has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 11.6, so it is fair to say that the stock price might slightly appreciate in 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, Kohl’s Corp has a P/S ratio of about 0.4. This is a bit lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.2x right now. Also, as we can see in the chart below, this is well below the highs for this stock in particular over the past few years.
If anything, KSS is in the lower end of its range in the time period from a P/S metric, suggesting some level of undervalued trading—at least compared to historical norms.
Broad Value Outlook
In aggregate, Kohl’s Corp currently has a Value Score of A, putting it into the top 20% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes Kohl’s Corp a solid choice for value investors.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though Kohl’s Corp 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 Score of A and a Momentum Score of B. This gives KSS a Zacks VGM score — or its overarching fundamental grade — of A. (You can read more about the Zacks Style Scores here >>)
Meanwhile, the company’s recent earnings estimate revisions have been pretty favorable. The current quarter has seen five estimates go higher in the past sixty days compared to no lower, while the full year estimate has seen eight up and no down in the same time period.
This has had a significant impact on the consensus estimate as the current quarter consensus estimate has risen by 10.8% in the past two months and the full year estimate has gone up by 4%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
Kohl's Corporation Price and Consensus
Kohl's Corporation Price and Consensus | Kohl's Corporation Quote
Despite having a bullish trend, KSS sports a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). This indicates that analysts have some apprehensions about the stock in the immediate future. Thus, we are looking for in-line performance from the company in the near term.
Bottom Line
Kohl’s Corp is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. Moreover, a strong industry rank (Top 39% out of more than 250 industries) further strengthens its growth potential. In fact, over the past three months, the industry has clearly outperformed the broader market, as you can see below:
So, despite a Zacks Rank #3, we believe that bullish analyst sentiment and favorable industry factors make this value stock a compelling pick.
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If the stocks above spark your interest, wait until you look into companies primed to make substantial gains from Washington's changing course.
Today Zacks reveals 5 tickers that could benefit from new trends like streamlined drug approvals, tariffs, lower taxes, higher interest rates, and spending surges in defense and infrastructure.
See these buy recommendations now >>