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Is Echo Global Logistics (ECHO) a Great Value Stock Right Now?

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Here at Zacks, we focus on our proven ranking system, which places an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, to find winning stocks. But we also understand that investors develop their own strategies, so we are constantly looking at the latest trends in value, growth, and momentum to find strong companies for our readers.

Looking at the history of these trends, perhaps none is more beloved than value investing. This strategy simply looks to identify companies that are being undervalued by the broader market. Value investors use tried-and-true metrics and fundamental analysis to find companies that they believe are undervalued at their current share price levels.

In addition to the Zacks Rank, investors looking for stocks with specific traits can utilize our Style Scores system. Of course, value investors will be most interested in the system's "Value" category. Stocks with "A" grades for Value and high Zacks Ranks are among the best value stocks available at any given moment.

One company to watch right now is Echo Global Logistics . ECHO is currently holding a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) and a Value grade of A. The stock has a Forward P/E ratio of 18.30. This compares to its industry's average Forward P/E of 25.58. Over the past year, ECHO's Forward P/E has been as high as 25.44 and as low as 12.28, with a median of 18.47.

Investors should also note that ECHO holds a PEG ratio of 1.05. This popular figure is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also considers a company's expected EPS growth rate. ECHO's PEG compares to its industry's average PEG of 2.17. Within the past year, ECHO's PEG has been as high as 1.41 and as low as 0.70, with a median of 1.06.

Investors should also recognize that ECHO has a P/B ratio of 2.04. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. This stock's P/B looks solid versus its industry's average P/B of 3.94. Over the past year, ECHO's P/B has been as high as 2.04 and as low as 1.05, with a median of 1.51.

Finally, investors will want to recognize that ECHO has a P/CF ratio of 17.45. This figure highlights a company's operating cash flow and can be used to find firms that are undervalued when considering their impressive cash outlook. ECHO's current P/CF looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/CF of 20.68. Over the past year, ECHO's P/CF has been as high as 17.47 and as low as 7.39, with a median of 11.29.

These are only a few of the key metrics included in Echo Global Logistics's strong Value grade, but they help show that the stock is likely undervalued right now. When factoring in the strength of its earnings outlook, ECHO looks like an impressive value stock at the moment.

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