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Should Value Investors Buy ASGN Inc (ASGN) 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.

Luckily, Zacks has developed its own Style Scores system in an effort to find stocks with specific traits. Value investors will be interested in the system's "Value" category. Stocks with both "A" grades in the Value category and high Zacks Ranks are among the strongest value stocks on the market right now.

One stock to keep an eye on is ASGN Inc (ASGN - Free Report) . ASGN is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) and an A for Value. The stock is trading with a P/E ratio of 12.58, which compares to its industry's average of 19.41. Over the past year, ASGN's Forward P/E has been as high as 22.77 and as low as 12.58, with a median of 19.61.

Investors should also note that ASGN holds a PEG ratio of 1.06. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. ASGN's PEG compares to its industry's average PEG of 1.75. Within the past year, ASGN's PEG has been as high as 2.28 and as low as 1.06, with a median of 1.96.

Value investors also use the P/S ratio. The P/S ratio is is calculated as price divided by sales. This is a prefered metric because revenue can't really be manipulated, so sales are often a truer performance indicator. ASGN has a P/S ratio of 0.95. This compares to its industry's average P/S of 1.66.

Finally, we should also recognize that ASGN has a P/CF ratio of 11.69. This data point considers a firm's operating cash flow and is frequently used to find companies that are undervalued when considering their solid cash outlook. This company's current P/CF looks solid when compared to its industry's average P/CF of 33.76. Over the past 52 weeks, ASGN's P/CF has been as high as 20.90 and as low as 11.69, with a median of 18.76.

These are only a few of the key metrics included in ASGN Inc'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, ASGN looks like an impressive value stock at the moment.


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