We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
Can Value Investors Select Hubbell (HUBB) Stock 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 Hubbell Incorporated (HUBB - 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, Hubbell has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 21.77, 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 27.49. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, Hubbell’s current PE level puts it above its midpoint (which is 18.69) over the past five years, with the number having risen rapidly over the past few months.
Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with the Zacks Industrial Products sector’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 29. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should also point out that Hubbell has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 19.94, so it is fair to say that a slightly more value-oriented path may be ahead for Hubbell stock in the near term too.
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, Hubbell has a P/S ratio of about 1.98. This is a bit lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 4.24x right now. Also, as we can see in the chart below, this is well below the highs for this stock in particular over the past few years.
If anything, this suggests some level of undervalued trading—at least compared to historical norms.
Broad Value Outlook
In aggregate, Hubbell currently has a Value Score of B, putting it into the top 40% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes Hubbell a solid choice for value investors, and some of its other key metrics make this pretty clear too.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though Hubbell 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 Score of C and a Momentum Score of B. This gives HUBB a Zacks VGM score — or its overarching fundamental grade — of B. (You can read more about the Zacks Style Scores here >>)
Meanwhile, the company’s recent earnings estimates for the current year have not witnessed any changes in the past two months, while the next year estimate has inched lower by 0.6%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
Despite this somewhat mixed trend, the stock has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) on the back of its strong value metrics and this is why we are expecting above-average performance from the company in the near-term.
Bottom Line
Hubbell is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. Further, a strong industry rank (among Top 49% of more than 250 industries) instills our confidence. In fact, over the past two years, the Zacks Manufacturing - Electrical Utilities industry has clearly outperformed the broader market, as you can see below:
So, value investors might want to wait for estimates to turn around in this name first, but once that happens, this stock could be a compelling pick.
Zacks Names “Single Best Pick to Double”
From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.
You know this company from its past glory days, but few would expect that it’s poised for a monster turnaround. Fresh from a successful repositioning and flush with A-list celeb endorsements, it could rival or surpass other recent Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Boston Beer Company which shot up +143.0% in a little more than 9 months and Nvidia which boomed +175.9% in one year.
Image: Bigstock
Can Value Investors Select Hubbell (HUBB) Stock Now?
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 Hubbell Incorporated (HUBB - 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, Hubbell has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 21.77, 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 27.49. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, Hubbell’s current PE level puts it above its midpoint (which is 18.69) over the past five years, with the number having risen rapidly over the past few months.
Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with the Zacks Industrial Products sector’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 29. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should also point out that Hubbell has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 19.94, so it is fair to say that a slightly more value-oriented path may be ahead for Hubbell stock in the near term too.
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, Hubbell has a P/S ratio of about 1.98. This is a bit lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 4.24x right now. Also, as we can see in the chart below, this is well below the highs for this stock in particular over the past few years.
If anything, this suggests some level of undervalued trading—at least compared to historical norms.
Broad Value Outlook
In aggregate, Hubbell currently has a Value Score of B, putting it into the top 40% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes Hubbell a solid choice for value investors, and some of its other key metrics make this pretty clear too.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though Hubbell 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 Score of C and a Momentum Score of B. This gives HUBB a Zacks VGM score — or its overarching fundamental grade — of B. (You can read more about the Zacks Style Scores here >>)
Meanwhile, the company’s recent earnings estimates for the current year have not witnessed any changes in the past two months, while the next year estimate has inched lower by 0.6%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
Hubbell Inc Price and Consensus
Hubbell Inc price-consensus-chart | Hubbell Inc Quote
Despite this somewhat mixed trend, the stock has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) on the back of its strong value metrics and this is why we are expecting above-average performance from the company in the near-term.
Bottom Line
Hubbell is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. Further, a strong industry rank (among Top 49% of more than 250 industries) instills our confidence. In fact, over the past two years, the Zacks Manufacturing - Electrical Utilities industry has clearly outperformed the broader market, as you can see below:
So, value investors might want to wait for estimates to turn around in this name first, but once that happens, this stock could be a compelling pick.
Zacks Names “Single Best Pick to Double”
From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.
You know this company from its past glory days, but few would expect that it’s poised for a monster turnaround. Fresh from a successful repositioning and flush with A-list celeb endorsements, it could rival or surpass other recent Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Boston Beer Company which shot up +143.0% in a little more than 9 months and Nvidia which boomed +175.9% in one year.
Free: See Our Top Stock and 4 Runners Up >>