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Should Value Investors Pick ePlus (PLUS) Stock Right Now?
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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, ePlus, inc. (PLUS - 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, ePlus has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 8.70, 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 compares in at about 14.41. If we focus on the stock’s long-term PE trend, the current level ePlus puts current PE ratio below its midpoint (which is 16.30) over the past five years.
Also, the stock’s PE compares favorably with the Zacks Business Software Services/BPO market’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 17.11. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should also point out that ePlus has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of 7.85, so it is fair to say that a slightly more value-oriented path may be ahead for the 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, the stock has a P/S ratio of about 0.40. This is substantially lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 2.50 right now. Also, as we can see in the chart below, this is slightly below the highs for this stock in particular over the past few years.
If anything, this suggests some level of undervalued trading—at least compared to historical norms.
Broad Value Outlook
In aggregate, ePlus currently has a Value Style Score of B, putting it into the top 40% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes PLUS a solid choice for value investors and some of its other metrics make it clear too.
Its P/CF ratio comes in at 7.87, which is far better than the industry average of 15.91. Clearly, PLUS is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though ePlus 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 grade of F and a Momentum score of C. This gives PLUS a VGM score—or its overarching fundamental grade—of D. (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 lower in the past sixty days and none higher, while current year estimate has seen two upward and no downward revisions in the same time period.
This has had a noticeable impact on the consensus estimate. The current quarter consensus estimate has declined 8.8% in the past two months, while the current year estimate has climbed 2.7% in the same time period. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
Despite this somewhat mixed trend, the stock has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) on the back of its strong value metrics and this is why we are expecting above-average performance from the company in the near-term.
Bottom Line
ePlus is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. With a formidable industry rank (among the Top 35% out of more than 250 industries) and strong Zacks Rank, ePlus looks like a strong value contender. In fact, over the past one year, the sector has clearly outperformed the broader market, as you can see below:
So, value investors might want to wait for estimates and analyst sentiment to turn favorable in this name first, but once that happens, this stock could be a compelling pick.
Biggest Tech Breakthrough in a Generation
Be among the early investors in the new type of device that experts say could impact society as much as the discovery of electricity. Current technology will soon be outdated and replaced by these new devices. In the process, it’s expected to create 22 million jobs and generate $12.3 trillion in activity.
A select few stocks could skyrocket the most as rollout accelerates for this new tech. Early investors could see gains similar to buying Microsoft in the 1990s. Zacks’ just-released special report reveals 8 stocks to watch. The report is only available for a limited time.
Image: Bigstock
Should Value Investors Pick ePlus (PLUS) Stock Right Now?
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, ePlus, inc. (PLUS - 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, ePlus has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 8.70, 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 compares in at about 14.41. If we focus on the stock’s long-term PE trend, the current level ePlus puts current PE ratio below its midpoint (which is 16.30) over the past five years.
Also, the stock’s PE compares favorably with the Zacks Business Software Services/BPO market’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 17.11. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should also point out that ePlus has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of 7.85, so it is fair to say that a slightly more value-oriented path may be ahead for the 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, the stock has a P/S ratio of about 0.40. This is substantially lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 2.50 right now. Also, as we can see in the chart below, this is slightly below the highs for this stock in particular over the past few years.
Broad Value Outlook
In aggregate, ePlus currently has a Value Style Score of B, putting it into the top 40% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes PLUS a solid choice for value investors and some of its other metrics make it clear too.
Its P/CF ratio comes in at 7.87, which is far better than the industry average of 15.91. Clearly, PLUS is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though ePlus 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 grade of F and a Momentum score of C. This gives PLUS a VGM score—or its overarching fundamental grade—of D. (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 lower in the past sixty days and none higher, while current year estimate has seen two upward and no downward revisions in the same time period.
This has had a noticeable impact on the consensus estimate. The current quarter consensus estimate has declined 8.8% in the past two months, while the current year estimate has climbed 2.7% in the same time period. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
ePlus inc. Price and Consensus
ePlus inc. price-consensus-chart | ePlus inc. Quote
Despite this somewhat mixed trend, the stock has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) on the back of its strong value metrics and this is why we are expecting above-average performance from the company in the near-term.
Bottom Line
ePlus is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. With a formidable industry rank (among the Top 35% out of more than 250 industries) and strong Zacks Rank, ePlus looks like a strong value contender. In fact, over the past one year, the sector has clearly outperformed the broader market, as you can see below:
So, value investors might want to wait for estimates and analyst sentiment to turn favorable in this name first, but once that happens, this stock could be a compelling pick.
Biggest Tech Breakthrough in a Generation
Be among the early investors in the new type of device that experts say could impact society as much as the discovery of electricity. Current technology will soon be outdated and replaced by these new devices. In the process, it’s expected to create 22 million jobs and generate $12.3 trillion in activity.
A select few stocks could skyrocket the most as rollout accelerates for this new tech. Early investors could see gains similar to buying Microsoft in the 1990s. Zacks’ just-released special report reveals 8 stocks to watch. The report is only available for a limited time.
See 8 breakthrough stocks now>>