Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Should Value Investors Buy Matson (MATX) Stock?

Read MoreHide Full Article

The proven Zacks Rank system focuses on earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find winning stocks. Nevertheless, we know that our readers all have their own perspectives, so we are always looking at the latest trends in value, growth, and momentum to find strong picks.

Considering these trends, value investing is clearly one of the most preferred ways to find strong stocks in any type of 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.

Zacks has developed the innovative Style Scores system to highlight stocks with specific traits. For example, value investors will be interested in stocks with great grades in the "Value" category. When paired with a high Zacks Rank, "A" grades in the Value category are among the strongest value stocks on the market today.

One stock to keep an eye on is Matson (MATX - Free Report) . MATX is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy), as well as a Value grade of A. The stock holds a P/E ratio of 16.71, while its industry has an average P/E of 25.03. Over the past 52 weeks, MATX's Forward P/E has been as high as 28.13 and as low as 12.74, with a median of 18.98.

We should also highlight that MATX has a P/B ratio of 2.77. Investors use the P/B ratio to look at a stock's market value versus its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. This stock's P/B looks attractive against its industry's average P/B of 3.94. MATX's P/B has been as high as 2.97 and as low as 1.34, with a median of 1.97, over the past year.

Value investors also love the P/S ratio, which is calculated by simply dividing a stock's price with the company's sales. Some people prefer this metric because sales are harder to manipulate on an income statement. This means it could be a truer performance indicator. MATX has a P/S ratio of 1.14. This compares to its industry's average P/S of 1.21.

Finally, our model also underscores that MATX has a P/CF ratio of 7.16. This metric focuses on a firm's operating cash flow and is often used to find stocks that are undervalued based on the strength of their cash outlook. MATX's current P/CF looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/CF of 20.68. Over the past 52 weeks, MATX's P/CF has been as high as 9.71 and as low as 4.04, with a median of 5.87.

These are just a handful of the figures considered in Matson's great Value grade. Still, they help show that the stock is likely being undervalued at the moment. Add this to the strength of its earnings outlook, and we can clearly see that MATX is an impressive value stock right now.


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:


Matson, Inc. (MATX) - free report >>

Published in