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Is Allison (ALSN) a Suitable Stock for Value Investors Now?
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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 Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. (ALSN - 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, Allison has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 10.6, 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 18.0. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, Allison’s current PE level puts it below its midpoint over the past five years. Moreover, the current level is fairly below the highs for this stock, suggesting it might be a good entry point.
However, the stock’s PE compares unfavorably with the industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 9.8. This indicates that the stock is relatively overvalued right now, compared to its peers.
Nonetheless, we should point out that Allison has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 10.2, so it is fair to say that a slightly more value-oriented path may be ahead for Allison stock 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, Allison has a P/S ratio of about 2.3. This is lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.2 right now. Also, as we can see in the chart below, this is well below the highs for this stock in particular over the past few years.
If anything, ALSN is 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, Allison currently has a Zacks Value Style Score of B, putting it into the top 40% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes Allison a solid choice for value investors.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though Allison 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 grade of C and a Momentum score of C. This gives ALSN 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 best. The current quarter has seen two estimates go higher in the past sixty days compared to three lower, while the full year estimate has seen seven upward and one downward revision in the same time period.
As a result, the current quarter consensus estimate has fallen by 2.1% in the past two months, while the full year estimate has inched up by 0.9%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. Price and Consensus
Despite this somewhat mixed trend, the stock sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) on the back of its strong value metrics and this is why we are expecting outperformance from the company in the near-term.
Bottom Line
Allison is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. Its strong Zacks Rank also indicates robust growth potential in the near future. However, the company’s prospects might be constrained due to adverse broader factors, as it has a sluggish industry rank (Bottom 10% out of more than 250 industries). In fact, over the past two years, the industry has clearly underperformed the broader market, as you can see below:
So, value investors might want to wait for estimates, analyst sentiment and broader factors 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 Allison (ALSN) a Suitable Stock for Value Investors Now?
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 Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. (ALSN - 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, Allison has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 10.6, 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 18.0. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, Allison’s current PE level puts it below its midpoint over the past five years. Moreover, the current level is fairly below the highs for this stock, suggesting it might be a good entry point.
However, the stock’s PE compares unfavorably with the industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 9.8. This indicates that the stock is relatively overvalued right now, compared to its peers.
Nonetheless, we should point out that Allison has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 10.2, so it is fair to say that a slightly more value-oriented path may be ahead for Allison stock 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, Allison has a P/S ratio of about 2.3. This is lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.2 right now. Also, as we can see in the chart below, this is well below the highs for this stock in particular over the past few years.
If anything, ALSN is 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, Allison currently has a Zacks Value Style Score of B, putting it into the top 40% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes Allison a solid choice for value investors.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though Allison 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 grade of C and a Momentum score of C. This gives ALSN 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 best. The current quarter has seen two estimates go higher in the past sixty days compared to three lower, while the full year estimate has seen seven upward and one downward revision in the same time period.
As a result, the current quarter consensus estimate has fallen by 2.1% in the past two months, while the full year estimate has inched up by 0.9%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. Price and Consensus
Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. Price and Consensus | Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. Quote
Despite this somewhat mixed trend, the stock sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) on the back of its strong value metrics and this is why we are expecting outperformance from the company in the near-term.
Bottom Line
Allison is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. Its strong Zacks Rank also indicates robust growth potential in the near future. However, the company’s prospects might be constrained due to adverse broader factors, as it has a sluggish industry rank (Bottom 10% out of more than 250 industries). In fact, over the past two years, the industry has clearly underperformed the broader market, as you can see below:
So, value investors might want to wait for estimates, analyst sentiment and broader factors 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 >>