Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Is Ternium (TX) Stock a Suitable Pick for Value Investors Now?

Read MoreHide Full Article

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 Ternium S.A. (TX - 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, Ternium has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 14.91, 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 27.59. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, Ternium’s current PE level puts it above its midpoint over the past five years.




Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with the sector’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 28.66. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.




However, we should point out that Ternium has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of 17.11, so we might say that the forward earnings estimates indicate that the company’s share price will likely appreciate in the near 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, Ternium has a P/S ratio of about 0.68. This is significantly lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 4.83 right now. As we can see in the chart below, this is slightly above the median for this stock in particular over the past few years.




TX is actually in the higher zone of its trading range in the time period per the P/S metric, which suggests that the company’s stock price has already appreciated to some degree, relative to its sales.

Broad Value Outlook

In aggregate, Ternium currently has a Zacks Value Style Score of A, putting it into the top 20% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes Ternium a solid choice for value investors, and some of its other key metrics make this pretty clear too.

For example, its P/CF ratio (another great indicator of value) comes in at 4.66, which is better than the industry average of 5.90. Clearly, TX is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.

What About the Stock Overall?

Though Ternium 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 grade of B and a Momentum score of A. This gives TX 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 estimates have been encouraging. The current year estimate has seen three upward and zero downward revisions in the past sixty day’s period.

As a result, the consensus estimate has increased significantly in the past two months. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:

This bullish trend is why the stock boasts a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and why we are expecting outperformance from the company in the near term.

Bottom Line

Ternium is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. Boasting a good industry rank (among the top 45%) and a top Zacks Rank, the company deserves attention right now. In fact, over the past one year, the industry has clearly outperformed the broader market, as you can see below:




So, it might pay for value investors to delve deeper into the company’s prospects, as fundamentals indicate that this stock could be a compelling pick.

These Stocks Are Poised to Soar Past the Pandemic

The COVID-19 outbreak has shifted consumer behavior dramatically, and a handful of high-tech companies have stepped up to keep America running. Right now, investors in these companies have a shot at serious profits. For example, Zoom jumped 108.5% in less than 4 months while most other stocks were sinking.

Our research shows that 5 cutting-edge stocks could skyrocket from the exponential increase in demand for “stay at home” technologies. This could be one of the biggest buying opportunities of this decade, especially for those who get in early.

See the 5 high-tech stocks now>>


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


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


Ternium S.A. (TX) - free report >>

Published in