Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Should Value Investors Buy Marten Transport, Ltd. (MRTN) 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.

Looking at the history of these trends, perhaps none is more beloved than value investing. This strategy simply looks to identify companies that are being undervalued by the broader 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.

Marten Transport, Ltd. (MRTN - Free Report) is a stock many investors are watching right now. MRTN is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), as well as an A grade for Value. The stock is trading with P/E ratio of 15.93 right now. For comparison, its industry sports an average P/E of 28.68. Over the past year, MRTN's Forward P/E has been as high as 26.70 and as low as 14.36, with a median of 19.77.

We should also highlight that MRTN has a P/B ratio of 2.16. 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. This company's current P/B looks solid when compared to its industry's average P/B of 3.05. MRTN's P/B has been as high as 2.51 and as low as 1.55, with a median of 2.23, over the past year.

Finally, investors should note that MRTN has a P/CF ratio of 7.83. This metric takes into account a company's operating cash flow and can be used to find stocks that are undervalued based on their solid cash outlook. MRTN's current P/CF looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/CF of 14.67. Within the past 12 months, MRTN's P/CF has been as high as 9.63 and as low as 5.97, with a median of 8.45.

These are only a few of the key metrics included in Marten Transport, Ltd.'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, MRTN looks like an impressive value stock at the moment.


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


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


Marten Transport, Ltd. (MRTN) - free report >>

Published in