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Are Investors Undervaluing Helmerich & Payne (HP) 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.

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 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 stock to keep an eye on is Helmerich & Payne (HP - Free Report) . HP is currently sporting a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and an A for Value.

Investors should also recognize that HP has a P/B ratio of 0.71. Investors use the P/B ratio to look at a stock's market value versus its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. HP's current P/B looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/B of 1.90. HP's P/B has been as high as 1.25 and as low as 0.49, with a median of 0.85, over the past year.

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 popular metric because sales are harder to manipulate on an income statement, so they are often considered a better performance indicator. HP has a P/S ratio of 0.97. This compares to its industry's average P/S of 1.53.

These are only a few of the key metrics included in Helmerich & Payne'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, HP looks like an impressive value stock at the moment.

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