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Are Investors Undervaluing Labcorp (LH) Right Now?

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Here at Zacks, our focus is on the proven Zacks Rank system, which emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find great stocks. Nevertheless, we are always paying attention to the latest value, growth, and momentum trends to underscore strong picks.

Of these, perhaps no stock market trend is more popular than value investing, which is a strategy that has proven to be successful in all sorts of market environments. Value investors use a variety of methods, including tried-and-true valuation metrics, to find these stocks.

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.

One company value investors might notice is Labcorp (LH - Free Report) . LH is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), as well as a Value grade of A. The stock is trading with a P/E ratio of 14.56, which compares to its industry's average of 16.41. LH's Forward P/E has been as high as 15.79 and as low as 12.57, with a median of 14.52, all within the past year.

Investors should also note that LH holds a PEG ratio of 1.48. This figure is similar to the commonly-used P/E ratio, with the PEG ratio also factoring in a company's expected earnings growth rate. LH's industry has an average PEG of 1.76 right now. Within the past year, LH's PEG has been as high as 1.88 and as low as 1.37, with a median of 1.62.

We should also highlight that LH has a P/B ratio of 2.44. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. LH's current P/B looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/B of 4.40. Over the past 12 months, LH's P/B has been as high as 2.67 and as low as 2.04, with a median of 2.38.

Finally, we should also recognize that LH has a P/CF ratio of 14.74. This data point considers a firm's operating cash flow and is frequently used to find companies that are undervalued when considering their solid cash outlook. This company's current P/CF looks solid when compared to its industry's average P/CF of 17.23. LH's P/CF has been as high as 19.65 and as low as 12.90, with a median of 16.86, all within the past year.

These are only a few of the key metrics included in Labcorp'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, LH looks like an impressive value stock at the moment.


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