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Is Allison Transmission (ALSN) 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 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 Transmission has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 9.8, 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 16.1x. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, Allison Transmission’s current PE level puts it below its midpoint over the past five years, with the number having risen rapidly over the past few months.
However, the stock’s PE also compares unfavorably with the broader industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 8.6. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively overvalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should also point out that Allison Transmission has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 9.3, so it is fair to say that a slightly more value-oriented path may be ahead for Allison Transmission 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 Transmission has a P/S ratio of about 2.2. This is lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 2.9x 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 Transmission currently has a Value Score of B, putting it into the top 40% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes Allison Transmission a solid choice for value investors.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though Allison Transmission 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 D. 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 up and one 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 2.1% in the past two months, while the full year estimate has inched upper by 0.7%. 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
The stock has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). This indicates robust fundamentals and expectations of outperformance in the near term.
Bottom Line
Allison Transmission is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. However, a dull industry rank (among Bottom 13% of more than 250 industries) is concerning. In fact, over the past two years, the industry has clearly underperformed the market at large, as you can see below:
We believe, despite an unsatisfactory past industry performance, a good Zacks rank signal that the stock is likely to benefit from favorable broader factors in the immediate future. Add to this robust value metrics, and we believe that we have a strong value contender in Allison Transmission.
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 Allison Transmission (ALSN) 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 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 Transmission has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 9.8, 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 16.1x. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, Allison Transmission’s current PE level puts it below its midpoint over the past five years, with the number having risen rapidly over the past few months.
However, the stock’s PE also compares unfavorably with the broader industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 8.6. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively overvalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should also point out that Allison Transmission has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 9.3, so it is fair to say that a slightly more value-oriented path may be ahead for Allison Transmission 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 Transmission has a P/S ratio of about 2.2. This is lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 2.9x 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 Transmission currently has a Value Score of B, putting it into the top 40% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes Allison Transmission a solid choice for value investors.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though Allison Transmission 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 D. 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 up and one 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 2.1% in the past two months, while the full year estimate has inched upper by 0.7%. 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
The stock has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). This indicates robust fundamentals and expectations of outperformance in the near term.
Bottom Line
Allison Transmission is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. However, a dull industry rank (among Bottom 13% of more than 250 industries) is concerning. In fact, over the past two years, the industry has clearly underperformed the market at large, as you can see below:
We believe, despite an unsatisfactory past industry performance, a good Zacks rank signal that the stock is likely to benefit from favorable broader factors in the immediate future. Add to this robust value metrics, and we believe that we have a strong value contender in Allison Transmission.
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 >>