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Are Investors Undervaluing Honda Motor (HMC) Right Now?

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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 a variety of methods, including tried-and-true valuation metrics, to find these stocks.

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 company value investors might notice is Honda Motor (HMC - Free Report) . HMC is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy) and an A for Value. The stock is trading with a P/E ratio of 9.23, which compares to its industry's average of 12.28. HMC's Forward P/E has been as high as 14.24 and as low as 5.51, with a median of 11.12, all within the past year.

Investors should also note that HMC holds a PEG ratio of 0.48. 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. HMC's PEG compares to its industry's average PEG of 0.79. HMC's PEG has been as high as 3.48 and as low as 0.47, with a median of 0.73, all within the past year.

We should also highlight that HMC has a P/B ratio of 0.66. The P/B is a method of comparing a stock's market value to its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. HMC's current P/B looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/B of 0.84. Over the past 12 months, HMC's P/B has been as high as 0.67 and as low as 0.43, with a median of 0.58.

Value investors also frequently use the P/S ratio. This metric is found by dividing a stock's price with the company's revenue. This is a prefered metric because revenue can't really be manipulated, so sales are often a truer performance indicator. HMC has a P/S ratio of 0.42. This compares to its industry's average P/S of 0.43.

These are only a few of the key metrics included in Honda Motor'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, HMC looks like an impressive value stock at the moment.


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