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Should Value Investors Buy Anixter International (AXE) Stock?

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Here at Zacks, we focus on our proven ranking system, which places an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, to find winning stocks. But we also understand that investors develop their own strategies, so we are constantly looking at the latest trends in value, growth, and momentum to find strong companies for our readers.

Of these, perhaps no stock market trend is more popular than value investing, which is a strategy that has proven to be successful in all sorts of market environments. Value investors use a variety of methods, including tried-and-true valuation metrics, to find these stocks.

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 Anixter International . AXE is currently holding a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy) and a Value grade of A.

Investors should also note that AXE holds a PEG ratio of 1.48. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. AXE's PEG compares to its industry's average PEG of 1.57. AXE's PEG has been as high as 1.48 and as low as 0.98, with a median of 1.17, all within the past year.

Finally, investors will want to recognize that AXE has a P/CF ratio of 10.53. This metric focuses on a firm's operating cash flow and is often used to find stocks that are undervalued based on the strength of their cash outlook. AXE's current P/CF looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/CF of 15.01. Within the past 12 months, AXE's P/CF has been as high as 12.63 and as low as 7.14, with a median of 8.56.

These are just a handful of the figures considered in Anixter International's great Value grade. Still, they help show that the stock is likely being undervalued at the moment. Add this to the strength of its earnings outlook, and we can clearly see that AXE is an impressive value stock right now.

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