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Is Jazz Pharmaceuticals a Great Stock for Value Investors?
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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 Jazz Pharmaceuticals PLC (JAZZ - 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, Jazz Pharmaceuticals has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 14.5, 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 20.1x. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, Jazz Pharmaceuticals’ 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 the broader industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 90.1. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should also point out that Jazz Pharmaceuticals has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 12.4, so it is fair to say that a slightly more value-oriented path may be ahead for Jazz Pharmaceuticals stock in the near term too.
PEG Ratio
While earnings are certainly important, it is essential to know how much you are paying for the growth of earnings as well. One can easily do that with the PEG ratio (ratio of the P/E to the expected future earnings growth rate). The PEG ratio gives a more complete picture of the valuation of a stock than the P/E ratio.
Jazz Pharmaceuticals’ PEG ratio stands at just 0.8, compared with the Zacks Medical - Drugs industry average of 9.9. This suggests a decent undervalued trading relative to its earnings growth potential right now.
Broad Value Outlook
In aggregate, Jazz Pharmaceuticals currently has a Value Score of B, putting it into the top 40% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes Jazz Pharmaceuticals a solid choice for value investors.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though Jazz Pharmaceuticals 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 B and a Momentum Score of B. This gives JAZZ a Zacks VGM score — or its overarching fundamental grade — of A. (You can read more about the Zacks Style Scores here >>)
Meanwhile, the company’s recent earnings estimates have been mixed at best. The current quarter has seen two estimates go higher in the past sixty days compared to eight lower, while the full year estimate has seen eight up and no down in the same time period.
This has had just a small impact on the consensus estimate though as the current quarter consensus estimate has decreased by 1.5% in the past two months, while the full year estimate has inched upper by 0.1%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
This somewhat mixed trend is why the stock has just a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) and why we are looking for in-line performance from the company in the near term.
Bottom Line
Jazz Pharmaceuticals 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 43% of more than 250 industries) instills our confidence.
However, with a Zacks Rank #3 it is hard to get too excited about this company overall. In fact, over the past two years, the broader industry has clearly underperformed the market at large, as you can see below:
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.
Will You Make a Fortune on the Shift to Electric Cars?
Here's another stock idea to consider. Much like petroleum 150 years ago, lithium power may soon shake the world, creating millionaires and reshaping geo-politics. Soon electric vehicles (EVs) may be cheaper than gas guzzlers. Some are already reaching 265 miles on a single charge.
With battery prices plummeting and charging stations set to multiply, one company stands out as the #1 stock to buy according to Zacks research.
Image: Bigstock
Is Jazz Pharmaceuticals 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 Jazz Pharmaceuticals PLC (JAZZ - 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, Jazz Pharmaceuticals has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 14.5, 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 20.1x. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, Jazz Pharmaceuticals’ 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 the broader industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 90.1. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should also point out that Jazz Pharmaceuticals has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 12.4, so it is fair to say that a slightly more value-oriented path may be ahead for Jazz Pharmaceuticals stock in the near term too.
PEG Ratio
While earnings are certainly important, it is essential to know how much you are paying for the growth of earnings as well. One can easily do that with the PEG ratio (ratio of the P/E to the expected future earnings growth rate). The PEG ratio gives a more complete picture of the valuation of a stock than the P/E ratio.
Jazz Pharmaceuticals’ PEG ratio stands at just 0.8, compared with the Zacks Medical - Drugs industry average of 9.9. This suggests a decent undervalued trading relative to its earnings growth potential right now.
Broad Value Outlook
In aggregate, Jazz Pharmaceuticals currently has a Value Score of B, putting it into the top 40% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes Jazz Pharmaceuticals a solid choice for value investors.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though Jazz Pharmaceuticals 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 B and a Momentum Score of B. This gives JAZZ a Zacks VGM score — or its overarching fundamental grade — of A. (You can read more about the Zacks Style Scores here >>)
Meanwhile, the company’s recent earnings estimates have been mixed at best. The current quarter has seen two estimates go higher in the past sixty days compared to eight lower, while the full year estimate has seen eight up and no down in the same time period.
This has had just a small impact on the consensus estimate though as the current quarter consensus estimate has decreased by 1.5% in the past two months, while the full year estimate has inched upper by 0.1%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
Jazz Pharmaceuticals PLC Price and Consensus
Jazz Pharmaceuticals PLC Price and Consensus | Jazz Pharmaceuticals PLC Quote
This somewhat mixed trend is why the stock has just a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) and why we are looking for in-line performance from the company in the near term.
Bottom Line
Jazz Pharmaceuticals 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 43% of more than 250 industries) instills our confidence.
However, with a Zacks Rank #3 it is hard to get too excited about this company overall. In fact, over the past two years, the broader industry has clearly underperformed the market at large, as you can see below:
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.
Will You Make a Fortune on the Shift to Electric Cars?
Here's another stock idea to consider. Much like petroleum 150 years ago, lithium power may soon shake the world, creating millionaires and reshaping geo-politics. Soon electric vehicles (EVs) may be cheaper than gas guzzlers. Some are already reaching 265 miles on a single charge.
With battery prices plummeting and charging stations set to multiply, one company stands out as the #1 stock to buy according to Zacks research.
It's not the one you think.
See This Ticker Free >>