Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Are Investors Undervaluing Associated British Foods (ASBFY) Right Now?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Here at Zacks, we focus on our proven ranking system, which places an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, to find winning stocks. But we also understand that investors develop their own strategies, so we are constantly looking at the latest trends in value, growth, and momentum to find strong companies for our readers.

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 fundamental analysis and traditional valuation metrics to find stocks that they believe are being undervalued by the market at large.

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.

Associated British Foods (ASBFY - Free Report) is a stock many investors are watching right now. ASBFY is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) and an A for Value. The stock holds a P/E ratio of 13.30, while its industry has an average P/E of 16.69. Over the last 12 months, ASBFY's Forward P/E has been as high as 15.72 and as low as 10.72, with a median of 13.59.

We also note that ASBFY holds a PEG ratio of 1.77. This popular figure is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also considers a company's expected EPS growth rate. ASBFY's PEG compares to its industry's average PEG of 2.08. Within the past year, ASBFY's PEG has been as high as 4.24 and as low as 1.43, with a median of 1.96.

Investors should also recognize that ASBFY has a P/B ratio of 1.57. 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 2.18. Over the past 12 months, ASBFY's P/B has been as high as 1.73 and as low as 1.18, with a median of 1.40.

These are only a few of the key metrics included in Associated British Foods'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, ASBFY 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:


Associated British Foods PLC (ASBFY) - free report >>

Published in