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Zacks.com featured expert Kevin Matras highlights: Mallinckrodt, Bayer Aktiengesellschaft, United Natural Foods, Tutor Perini and General Motors

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – March 27, 2019– Stocks in this week’s article include Mallinckrodt Public Limited Company , Bayer Aktiengesellschaft (BAYRY - Free Report) , United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI - Free Report) , Tutor Perini Corporation (TPC - Free Report) and General Motors Company (GM - Free Report) . Kevin Matras screens for companies showing their 'first' profit and explains why they are ones to watch.

Screen of the Week written by Kevin Matras of Zacks Investment Research:

Buy These Low Price-to-Book Value Stocks for Solid Returns

Value investors prefer price to earnings (P/E) and price to sales (P/S) ratios for identifying low-priced stocks with exceptional returns. However, the underrated price-to-book ratio (P/B ratio) is also an easy-to-use valuation tool for the purpose. The ratio is used to compare a stock’s market value/price to its book value.

The P/B ratio is calculated as below:

P/B ratio = market price per share/book value of equity per share

P/B ratio reflects how many times book value investors are ready to pay for a share. So, if the share price is $10 and book value of equity is $5, investors are ready to pay two times the book value. Ideally, a P/B value under 1.0 is considered good, indicating a potentially undervalued stock. However, value investors often consider stocks with a P/B value under 3.0.

Now let us understand the concept of book value.

What is Book Value?

There are several ways by which book value can be defined. Book value is the total value that would be left over, according to the company’s balance sheet, if it goes bankrupt immediately. In other words, this is what shareholders would theoretically receive if a company liquidates all its assets after paying off its liabilities.

It is calculated by subtracting total liabilities from the total assets of a company. In most cases, this equates to the common stockholders’ equity on the balance sheet. However, depending on the company’s balance sheet, intangible assets should also be subtracted from the total assets to determine book value.

Understanding P/B Ratio

By comparing the book value of equity to its market price, we get an idea of whether a company is under- or overpriced. However, like P/E or P/S ratio, it is always better to compare P/B ratios within industries. 

A P/B ratio less than one means that the stock is trading at less than its book value, or the stock is undervalued and therefore a good buy. Conversely, a stock with a ratio greater than one can be interpreted as being overvalued or relatively expensive.

For example, a stock with a P/B ratio of 2 means that we pay $2 for every $1 of book value. Thus, the higher the P/B, the more expensive the stock.

But there is a caveat. A P/B ratio less than one can also mean that the company is earning weak or even negative returns on its assets, or that the assets are overstated, in which case the stock should be shunned because it may be destroying shareholder value. Conversely, the stock’s price may be significantly high — thereby pushing the P/B ratio to more than one — in the likely case that it has become a takeover target, a good enough reason to own the stock.

Moreover, the P/B ratio isn't without limitations. It is useful for businesses — like finance, investments, insurance and banking or manufacturing companies — with many liquid/tangible assets on the books. However, it can be misleading for firms with significant R&D expenditure, high debt, service companies or those with negative earnings.

In any case, the ratio is not particularly relevant as a standalone number. One should analyze other ratios like P/E, P/S and debt to equity before arriving at a reasonable investment decision.

For the rest of this Screen of the Week article please visit Zacks.com at:https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/364536/buy-these-6-low-pricetobook-value-stocks-for-solid-returns

Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material.

About Screen of the Week

Zacks.com created the first and best screening system on the web earning the distinction as the "#1 site for screening stocks" by Money Magazine.  But powerful screening tools is just the start. That is why Zacks created the Screen of the Week to highlight profitable stock picking strategies that investors can actively use.

Strong Stocks that Should Be in the News

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