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Should Value Investors Buy Eagle Bancorp Montana (EBMT) Stock?

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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.

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.

On top of the Zacks Rank, investors can also look at our innovative Style Scores system to find stocks with specific traits. For example, value investors will want to focus on the "Value" category. Stocks with high Zacks Ranks and "A" grades for Value will be some of the highest-quality value stocks on the market today.

One stock to keep an eye on is Eagle Bancorp Montana (EBMT - Free Report) . EBMT is currently sporting a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), as well as an A grade for Value. The stock has a Forward P/E ratio of 9.82. This compares to its industry's average Forward P/E of 10.62. EBMT's Forward P/E has been as high as 13.92 and as low as 8.84, with a median of 10.08, all within the past year.

Another notable valuation metric for EBMT is its P/B ratio of 0.78. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against 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 2.05. EBMT's P/B has been as high as 0.83 and as low as 0.67, with a median of 0.75, over the past year.

Value investors also frequently use the P/S ratio. This metric is found by dividing a stock's price with the company's revenue. This is a popular metric because sales are harder to manipulate on an income statement, so they are often considered a better performance indicator. EBMT has a P/S ratio of 1.1. This compares to its industry's average P/S of 2.04.

Finally, we should also recognize that EBMT has a P/CF ratio of 6.16. This metric focuses on a firm's operating cash flow and is often used to find stocks that are undervalued based on the strength of their cash outlook. EBMT's current P/CF looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/CF of 14.98. Over the past 52 weeks, EBMT's P/CF has been as high as 7.56 and as low as 5.51, with a median of 6.35.

These are just a handful of the figures considered in Eagle Bancorp Montana's great Value grade. Still, they help show that the stock is likely being undervalued at the moment. Add this to the strength of its earnings outlook, and we can clearly see that EBMT is an impressive value stock right now.


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