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Zacks.com featured expert Kevin Matras highlights: Quanta Services, Chaparral Energy, DXC Technology, TOTAL and Principal Financial

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For Immediate Release

 Chicago, IL – April 23, 2019 – Stocks in this week’s article include Quanta Services, Inc. (PWR - Free Report) , Chaparral Energy, Inc. , DXC Technology Company (DXC - Free Report) , TOTAL S.A. and Principal Financial Group, Inc. (PFG - 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:

5 Value Stocks with Amazingly Low EV/EBITDA Ratios to Own Now

The price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is the most commonly used tool for evaluating a firm’s value due to its simplicity. A widely favored approach by value investors is to chase for stocks that have a low P/E ratio. However, even this broadly used valuation multiple is not without its shortcomings.

Why EV/EBITDA is a Better Choice?

Although P/E enjoys great popularity among value investors, a more complicated metric called EV/EBITDA is sometimes viewed as a better alternative. EV/EBITDA gives the true picture of a company’s valuation and earning potential. Additionally, it has a more comprehensive approach to valuation.

EV/EBITDA is essentially the enterprise value (EV) of a stock divided by its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA). The first constituent of the ratio, EV, is a firm’s market capitalization plus the market value of its debt and preferred equity minus cash.

EBITDA, the other element of the ratio, is a true reflection of a company’s profitability as it removes the impact of non-cash expenses like depreciation and amortization that depress net earnings. It is also often used as a proxy for cash flows.

Just like P/E, the lower the EV/EBITDA ratio, the more appealing it is. A low EV/EBITDA ratio could imply that a stock is potentially undervalued and vice versa.

EV/EBITDA takes into account the debt on a company’s balance sheet that P/E ratio does not. Given this reason, EV/EBITDA is usually used to value possible acquisition targets. Stocks with a low EV/EBITDA multiple could be seen as potential takeover candidates.

Moreover, P/E can’t be used to value a loss-making firm. A company’s earnings are also subject to accounting estimates and management manipulation. In contrast, EV/EBITDA is difficult to manipulate and can also be used to value companies that are making loss but are EBITDA-positive.

EV/EBITDA is also a useful tool in measuring the value of firms with a debt-laden balance sheet and have a high degree of depreciation. It also allows the comparison of companies with different debt levels.

But EV/EBITDA is not without its limitations. The ratio varies across industries (a high-growth industry typically has higher multiple and vice versa) and is usually not appropriate while comparing stocks in different industries given their diverse capital requirements.

Thus, instead of solely relying on EV/EBITDA, you can combine it with the other major ratios such as price-to-book (P/B), P/E and price-to-sales (P/S) to achieve the desired results.

For the rest of this Screen of the Week article please visit Zacks.com at: https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/382617/5-value-stocks-with-amazingly-low-evebitda-ratios-to-own-now

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

Many are little publicized and fly under the Wall Street radar. They're virtually unknown to the general public. Yet today's 220 Zacks Rank #1 "Strong Buys" were generated by the stock-picking system that has more than doubled the market from 1988 through 2016. Its average gain has been a stellar +25% per year. See these high-potential stocks free >>. 

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 Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit http://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.


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Quanta Services, Inc. (PWR) - free report >>

Principal Financial Group, Inc. (PFG) - free report >>

DXC Technology Company. (DXC) - free report >>

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