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 Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB Quick QuoteFITB - 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, Fifth Third Bancorp has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 16.82, 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 28.64. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, Fifth Third Bancorp’s current PE level puts it above its midpoint over the past five years.




Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with the industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 18.61. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.




We should also point out that Fifth Third Bancorp has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 12.70, so it is fair to say that a slightly more value-oriented path may be ahead for Fifth Third Bancorp 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, Fifth Third Bancorp has a P/S ratio of about 3.12. This is lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 5.04 right now. As we can see in the chart below, this is slightly below the highs for this stock in particular over the past few years.




FITB 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, Fifth Third Bancorp currently has a Zacks Value Style Score of B, putting it into the top 40% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes Fifth Third Bancorp a solid choice for value investors, and some of its other key metrics make this pretty clear too.

For example, the PEG ratio for Fifth Third Bancorp is 1.54, a level that is lower than the industry average of 1.98. The PEG ratio is a modified PE ratio that takes into account the stock’s earnings growth rate. Clearly, FITB is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.

What About the Stock Overall?

Though Fifth Third Bancorp 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 F and a Momentum score of A. This gives FITB a Zacks VGM score—or its overarching fundamental grade—of C. (You can read more about the Zacks Style Scores here >>)

Meanwhile, the company’s recent earnings estimates have been encouraging. The current quarter has seen four estimates go higher in the past sixty days compared to two lower, while the full year estimate has seen ten upward and zero downward revisions in the same time period.

As a result, the current quarter consensus estimate has risen by 3.1% in the past two months, while the full year estimate has increased 9.3%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:

This favorable trend is why the stock has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and why we are looking for outperformance from the company in the near term.

Bottom Line

Fifth Third Bancorp is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. With a formidable industry rank (among the Top 42%) and strong Zacks Rank, Fifth Third Bancorp looks like a strong value contender. In fact, over the past one year, the industry has 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.

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