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Is Belden (BDC) a Great Value Stock 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.

Of these, value investing is easily one of the most popular ways to find great stocks in any market environment. Value investors use a variety of methods, including tried-and-true valuation metrics, to find these stocks.

In addition to the Zacks Rank, investors looking for stocks with specific traits can utilize our Style Scores system. Of course, value investors will be most interested in the system's "Value" category. Stocks with "A" grades for Value and high Zacks Ranks are among the best value stocks available at any given moment.

One company value investors might notice is Belden (BDC - Free Report) . BDC is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), as well as a Value grade of A.

Another notable valuation metric for BDC is its P/B ratio of 2.75. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. BDC's current P/B looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/B of 3.13. Within the past 52 weeks, BDC's P/B has been as high as 3.23 and as low as 2.26, with a median of 2.73.

Value investors also love the P/S ratio, which is calculated by simply dividing a stock's price with the company's sales. This is a prefered metric because revenue can't really be manipulated, so sales are often a truer performance indicator. BDC has a P/S ratio of 1.06. This compares to its industry's average P/S of 1.12.

Encore Wire (WIRE - Free Report) may be another strong Wire and Cable Products stock to add to your shortlist. WIRE is a # 1 (Strong Buy) stock with a Value grade of A.

Furthermore, Encore Wire holds a P/B ratio of 1.96 and its industry's price-to-book ratio is 3.13. WIRE's P/B has been as high as 2.48, as low as 1.30, with a median of 1.74 over the past 12 months.

Value investors will likely look at more than just these metrics, but the above data helps show that Belden and Encore Wire are likely undervalued currently. And when considering the strength of its earnings outlook, BDC and WIRE sticks out as one of the market's strongest value stocks.


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