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4 GARP Stocks to Scoop up for Maximum Returns

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Growth at a reasonable price, or GARP, is an excellent strategy to earn quick investment profits. The GARP approach helps identify stocks priced below the market or any suitable target determined by a fundamental analysis.

The strategy helps investors gain exposure to stocks with impressive prospects and trading at a discount. GARP stocks have solid chances regarding cash flow, revenues, earnings per share (EPS) and others.

A portfolio based on the GARP strategy comprises stocks that offer the best value and growth investment. NRG Energy (NRG - Free Report) , Darden Restaurants (DRI - Free Report) , Allison Transmission Holdings (ALSN - Free Report) and IQVIA Holdings (IQV - Free Report) are some GARP stocks that hold promise.

GARP Metrics — Mix of Growth & Value Metrics

The GARP strategy offers ideal investment options utilizing the best value and growth investing features. Investors adopting the GARP approach prefer stocks priced below the market or any reasonable target determined by fundamental analysis. The stocks have solid prospects based on cash flow, revenues, EPS, etc.

Growth Metrics

A strong earnings growth history and impressive earnings prospects are the primary concepts that GARP investors borrow from the growth investing strategy. However, instead of super-normal rates, pursuing stocks with a more stable and reasonable growth rate is a tactic of GARP investors. The GARP strategy considers growth rates between 5% and 20% ideal.

Another metric considered by growth and GARP investors is the return on equity (ROE). GARP investors look for strong and higher ROE than the industry average to identify superior stocks. Moreover, stocks with a positive cash flow find precedence under the GARP plan.

Value Metrics

GARP investing prioritizes one of the popular value metrics — the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio. The investing style picks stocks with higher P/E ratios than value investors but it avoids companies with extremely high P/E ratios. The price-to-book value (P/B) ratio is also taken into consideration.

Using the GARP principle, we have run a screen to identify stocks that should offer solid returns in the near term.

Screening Parameters

Along with the criteria discussed in the above section, we have considered a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy).

Last five-year EPS & projected 3-5-year EPS growth rates between 5% and 20% (Strong EPS growth history and prospects ensure improving business.)

ROE (in the past 12 months) greater than the industry average (Higher ROE compared with the industry average indicates superior stocks.)

P/E and P/B ratios are less than the M-industry average (P/E and P/B ratios less than the industry indicate that the stocks are undervalued.)

Here are four of the 10 stocks that made it through the screen:

NRG Energy is engaged in the production, sale, and delivery of energy and energy products and services to residential, industrial and commercial consumers. The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

NRG Energy has gained 60.9% over a year. It has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 4.7% on average. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NRG’s 2023 earnings has moved 8.7% north to $5.50 per share over the past 30 days.

Darden Restaurants is one of the largest casual dining restaurant operators worldwide. The company operates via its subsidiaries, oversees restaurants throughout the United States and Canada. DRI currently carries a Zacks Rank #2.

Darden Restaurants has gained 14.3% over a year. It delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 4.2% on average. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for DRI’s fiscal 2024 earnings has moved 0.1% north to $8.87 per share over the past 30 days.

Allison Transmission is a manufacturer of fully automatic transmissions for medium and heavy-duty commercial and heavy-tactical U.S. defense vehicles. The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #2.

Allison Transmission has gained 37.3% over a year. It has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 17.2% on average. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ALSN’s 2023 earnings has been revised upward by 0.6% to $6.94 per share over the past 30 days.

IQVIA offers advanced analytics, technology solutions and contract research services to the life sciences industry. It operates in more than 100 countries. IQV currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2.

IQVIA has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 1.6%, on average. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for IQV's 2023 earnings has been unchanged at $10.19 per share over the past 30 days.

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Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material.

Disclosure: Performance information for Zacks' portfolios and strategies are available at: https://www.zacks.com/performance.

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