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Value investing is easily one of the most popular ways to find great stocks in any market environment. After all, who wouldn’t want to find stocks that are either flying under the radar and are compelling buys, or offer up tantalizing discounts when compared to fair value?
One way to find these companies is by looking at several key metrics and financial ratios, many of which are crucial in the value stock selection process. Let’s put CGI Group, Inc. (GIB - Free Report) stock into this equation and find out if it is a good choice for value-oriented investors right now, or if investors subscribing to this methodology should look elsewhere for top picks:
PE Ratio
A key metric that value investors always look at is the Price to Earnings Ratio, or PE for short. This shows us how much investors are willing to pay for each dollar of earnings in a given stock, and is easily one of the most popular financial ratios in the world. The best use of the PE ratio is to compare the stock’s current PE ratio with: a) where this ratio has been in the past; b) how it compares to the average for the industry/sector; and c) how it compares to the market as a whole.
On this front, CGI Group has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 19.9, as you can see in the chart below:
This level actually compares pretty favorably with the market at large, as the PE for the S&P 500 stands at about 20x. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, CGI Group’s current PE level puts it above its midpoint over the past five years, with the number having risen rapidly over the past few months.
Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with its industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 28.6. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should also point out that CGI Group has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 18.5, so it is fair to say that a slightly more value-oriented path may be ahead for CGI Groupstock in the near term too.
P/S Ratio
Another key metric to note is the Price/Sales ratio. This approach compares a given stock’s price to its total sales, where a lower reading is generally considered better. Some people like this metric more than other value-focused ones because it looks at sales, something that is far harder to manipulate with accounting tricks than earnings.
Right now, CGI Grouphas a P/S ratio of about 2. This is a bit higher than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.3x right now. Also, as we can see in the chart below, this is a bit below the highs for this stock in particular over the past few years.
If anything, GIB is roughly in the lower end of its range in the time period from a P/S metric, suggesting some level of undervalued trading—at least compared to historical norms.
Broad Value Outlook
In aggregate, CGI Groupcurrently has a Value Score of B, putting it into the top 40% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes GIB a solid choice for value investors.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though CGI Group might be a good choice for value investors, there are plenty of other factors to consider before investing in this name. In particular, it is worth noting that the company has a Growth Score of C and a Momentum Score of F. This gives GIB a Zacks VGM score — or its overarching fundamental grade — of B. (You can read more about the Zacks Style Scores here >>)
Meanwhile, the company’s recent earnings estimates have been mixed at its best. The current quarter has seen one estimate go higher in the past sixty days compared to three lower, while the full year estimate has seen one up and five down in the same time period.
This has had just a small impact on the consensus estimate though as the current year consensus estimate has decreased by 1.1% in the past two months, while the full year estimate has inched lower by 2.4%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
The stock has just a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) and we are looking for in-line performance from the company in the near term.
Bottom Line
CGI Group is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. Further, a strong industry rank (among Top 38% of more than 250 industries) instills our confidence. In fact, over the past two years, the broader industry has clearly outperformed the market at large, as you can see below:
However, with a Zacks Rank #3 it is hard to get too excited about this company overall. So, value investors might want to wait for estimates and analyst sentiment to turn around in this name first, but once that happens, this stock could be a compelling pick.
Wall Street’s Next Amazon
Zacks EVP Kevin Matras believes this familiar stock has only just begun its climb to become one of the greatest investments of all time. It’s a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in pure genius.
Image: Bigstock
Is CGI Group a Great Stock for Value Investors?
Value investing is easily one of the most popular ways to find great stocks in any market environment. After all, who wouldn’t want to find stocks that are either flying under the radar and are compelling buys, or offer up tantalizing discounts when compared to fair value?
One way to find these companies is by looking at several key metrics and financial ratios, many of which are crucial in the value stock selection process. Let’s put CGI Group, Inc. (GIB - Free Report) stock into this equation and find out if it is a good choice for value-oriented investors right now, or if investors subscribing to this methodology should look elsewhere for top picks:
PE Ratio
A key metric that value investors always look at is the Price to Earnings Ratio, or PE for short. This shows us how much investors are willing to pay for each dollar of earnings in a given stock, and is easily one of the most popular financial ratios in the world. The best use of the PE ratio is to compare the stock’s current PE ratio with: a) where this ratio has been in the past; b) how it compares to the average for the industry/sector; and c) how it compares to the market as a whole.
On this front, CGI Group has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 19.9, as you can see in the chart below:
This level actually compares pretty favorably with the market at large, as the PE for the S&P 500 stands at about 20x. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, CGI Group’s current PE level puts it above its midpoint over the past five years, with the number having risen rapidly over the past few months.
Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with its industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 28.6. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should also point out that CGI Group has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 18.5, so it is fair to say that a slightly more value-oriented path may be ahead for CGI Groupstock in the near term too.
P/S Ratio
Another key metric to note is the Price/Sales ratio. This approach compares a given stock’s price to its total sales, where a lower reading is generally considered better. Some people like this metric more than other value-focused ones because it looks at sales, something that is far harder to manipulate with accounting tricks than earnings.
Right now, CGI Grouphas a P/S ratio of about 2. This is a bit higher than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.3x right now. Also, as we can see in the chart below, this is a bit below the highs for this stock in particular over the past few years.
If anything, GIB is roughly in the lower end of its range in the time period from a P/S metric, suggesting some level of undervalued trading—at least compared to historical norms.
Broad Value Outlook
In aggregate, CGI Groupcurrently has a Value Score of B, putting it into the top 40% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes GIB a solid choice for value investors.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though CGI Group might be a good choice for value investors, there are plenty of other factors to consider before investing in this name. In particular, it is worth noting that the company has a Growth Score of C and a Momentum Score of F. This gives GIB a Zacks VGM score — or its overarching fundamental grade — of B. (You can read more about the Zacks Style Scores here >>)
Meanwhile, the company’s recent earnings estimates have been mixed at its best. The current quarter has seen one estimate go higher in the past sixty days compared to three lower, while the full year estimate has seen one up and five down in the same time period.
This has had just a small impact on the consensus estimate though as the current year consensus estimate has decreased by 1.1% in the past two months, while the full year estimate has inched lower by 2.4%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
CGI Group, Inc. Price and Consensus
CGI Group, Inc. Price and Consensus | CGI Group, Inc. Quote
The stock has just a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) and we are looking for in-line performance from the company in the near term.
Bottom Line
CGI Group is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. Further, a strong industry rank (among Top 38% of more than 250 industries) instills our confidence. In fact, over the past two years, the broader industry has clearly outperformed the market at large, as you can see below:
However, with a Zacks Rank #3 it is hard to get too excited about this company overall. So, value investors might want to wait for estimates and analyst sentiment to turn around in this name first, but once that happens, this stock could be a compelling pick.
Wall Street’s Next Amazon
Zacks EVP Kevin Matras believes this familiar stock has only just begun its climb to become one of the greatest investments of all time. It’s a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in pure genius.
Click for details >>