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Alternative Energy Stocks: Values or Traps?

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  • (0:30)- Finding Value In Alternative Energy
  • (4:00) - Tracey’s Top Stock Picks
  • (13:45) - Episode Roundup: EMPH, FSLR, CSIQ, SEDG, REGI, ICLN   
  •     Podcast@zacks.com

 

Welcome to Episode #193 of the Value Investor Podcast

Every week, Tracey Ryniec, the editor of Zacks Value Investor portfolio, shares some of her top value investing tips and stock picks.

The oil and natural gas stocks have been one of the big movers of the recovery rally as they had seen a sharp sell-off.

But what about the alternative energy companies like solar and biofuels?

With many Millennials and GenZ investors rejecting any fossil fuel companies, you’d think they’d be in favor with investors.

A Value Stock or a Value Trap?

Are alternative energy stocks as cheap as oil and natural gas stocks in 2020?

A “value” stock is defined as having attractive fundamentals, such as a low price-to-earnings, price-to-book, price-to-sales or PEG ratio.

A value trap can also have similar fundamentals, and appear to be cheap, but with a value trap, the earnings estimates are usually being cut and earnings growth may be on the decline year-over-year.

Even value investors want rising earnings.

5 Alternative Energy Stocks: Values or Traps?

1.       Enphase Energy (ENPH - Free Report) is one of the hottest alternative energy stocks on the Street in 2020. The supplier of solar microinventers is up 86% year-to-date. Analysts have cut their earnings estimates in the last 60 days, but is it still cheap enough to be a value?

2.       First Solar (FSLR - Free Report) is one of the well-known solar names. Shares are still down 7.7% year-to-date, despite a rally off the March lows. Yet, earnings are expected to rise 83% year-over-year. Is it cheap enough to be a true value stock?

3.       Canadian Solar (CSIQ - Free Report) is one of the rare companies where analysts are actually raising earnings estimates for the year. 3 analysts revised estimates higher over the last month. Additionally, earnings are expected to be up 22.8% year-over-year which means it’s not a trap. But is it cheap enough to be a value stock?

4.       Renewable Energy Group is involved in leading the transformation of biofuel into improving the environment. Shares are up 20.3% year-to-date. But are earnings on their way up, or down?

5.       SolarEdge Technologies (SEDG - Free Report) makes an intelligent inverter for the PV system. Estimates have been cut over the last 60 days. The shares are up 55% year-to-date, however. Are they too hot to handle for value investors?

What else should you know about cheap alternative energy stocks?

Tune into this week’s podcast to find out.

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