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Are Investors Undervaluing First Bancorp (FBP) Right Now?

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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.

In addition to the Zacks Rank, investors looking for stocks with specific traits can utilize our Style Scores system. Of course, value investors will be most interested in the system's "Value" category. Stocks with "A" grades for Value and high Zacks Ranks are among the best value stocks available at any given moment.

One stock to keep an eye on is First Bancorp (FBP - Free Report) . FBP is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), as well as a Value grade of A. The stock has a Forward P/E ratio of 11.77. This compares to its industry's average Forward P/E of 11.84. Over the past year, FBP's Forward P/E has been as high as 15.23 and as low as 11.26, with a median of 12.69.

Investors will also notice that FBP has a PEG ratio of 0.62. 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. FBP's industry has an average PEG of 1.30 right now. Over the past 52 weeks, FBP's PEG has been as high as 1.84 and as low as 0.33, with a median of 0.99.

We should also highlight that FBP has a P/B ratio of 1.05. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. This stock's P/B looks solid versus its industry's average P/B of 1.54. Over the past year, FBP's P/B has been as high as 1.25 and as low as 0.91, with a median of 1.06.

Finally, our model also underscores that FBP has a P/CF ratio of 9.25. 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 stock's P/CF looks attractive against its industry's average P/CF of 12.97. FBP's P/CF has been as high as 14.62 and as low as 8.55, with a median of 10.01, all within the past year.

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


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