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Can Value Investors Choose Canadian Solar (CSIQ) Stock 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 Canadian Solar Inc. (CSIQ - 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, Canadian Solar has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 7.42, 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 stands at about 16.61. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, Canadian Solar’s current PE level puts it above its midpoint (which is 6.95) over the past five years, with the number having risen rapidly over the past few months.
Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with the Zacks Oils-Energy sector’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 9.76. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should also point out that Canadian Solar has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 6.21, so it is fair to say that a slightly more value-oriented path may be ahead for Canadian Solar 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, Canadian Solar has a P/S ratio of about 0.31. This is a bit lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 2.88x right now. Also, as we can see in the chart below, this is well 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, Canadian Solar currently has a Value Score of A, putting it into the top 20% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes Canadian Solar a solid choice for value investors, and some of its other key metrics make this pretty clear too.
For example, the PEG ratio for Canadian Solar is just 0.19, a level that is far lower than the industry average of 0.68. The PEG ratio is a modified PE ratio that takes into account the stock’s earnings growth rate. Clearly, CSIQ is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though Canadian Solar 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 Score of D and a Momentum Score of F. This gives CSIQ a Zacks VGM score — or its overarching fundamental grade — of C. (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 one estimates go higher in the past sixty days compared to none lower, while the full year estimate has seen one up and two down in the same time period.
This has had a mixed impact on the consensus estimate though as the current quarter consensus estimate has risen by 9.4% in the past two months, while the full year estimate has declined by 13.3%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
Despite the bullish trend, the stock has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) which is why we are looking for in-line performance from the company in the near term.
Bottom Line
Canadian Solar is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. Further, a strong industry rank (among Top 32% of more than 250 industries) instills our confidence. However, over the past two years, the Zacks Solar industry has clearly underperformed the broader market, as you can see below:
So, value investors might want to wait for analyst sentiment to turn around in this name first, but once that happens, this stock could be a compelling pick.
Free: Zacks’ Single Best Stock Set to Double
Today you are invited to download our latest Special Report that reveals 5 stocks with the most potential to gain +100% or more in 2020. From those 5, Zacks Director of Research, Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.
This pioneering tech ticker had soared to all-time highs and then subsided to a price that is irresistible. Now a pending acquisition could super-charge the company’s drive past competitors in the development of true Artificial Intelligence. The earlier you get in to this stock, the greater your potential gain.
Image: Bigstock
Can Value Investors Choose Canadian Solar (CSIQ) Stock 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 Canadian Solar Inc. (CSIQ - 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, Canadian Solar has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 7.42, 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 stands at about 16.61. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, Canadian Solar’s current PE level puts it above its midpoint (which is 6.95) over the past five years, with the number having risen rapidly over the past few months.
Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with the Zacks Oils-Energy sector’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 9.76. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should also point out that Canadian Solar has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 6.21, so it is fair to say that a slightly more value-oriented path may be ahead for Canadian Solar 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, Canadian Solar has a P/S ratio of about 0.31. This is a bit lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 2.88x right now. Also, as we can see in the chart below, this is well 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, Canadian Solar currently has a Value Score of A, putting it into the top 20% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes Canadian Solar a solid choice for value investors, and some of its other key metrics make this pretty clear too.
For example, the PEG ratio for Canadian Solar is just 0.19, a level that is far lower than the industry average of 0.68. The PEG ratio is a modified PE ratio that takes into account the stock’s earnings growth rate. Clearly, CSIQ is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though Canadian Solar 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 Score of D and a Momentum Score of F. This gives CSIQ a Zacks VGM score — or its overarching fundamental grade — of C. (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 one estimates go higher in the past sixty days compared to none lower, while the full year estimate has seen one up and two down in the same time period.
This has had a mixed impact on the consensus estimate though as the current quarter consensus estimate has risen by 9.4% in the past two months, while the full year estimate has declined by 13.3%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
Canadian Solar Inc. Price and Consensus
Canadian Solar Inc. price-consensus-chart | Canadian Solar Inc. Quote
Despite the bullish trend, the stock has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) which is why we are looking for in-line performance from the company in the near term.
Bottom Line
Canadian Solar is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. Further, a strong industry rank (among Top 32% of more than 250 industries) instills our confidence. However, over the past two years, the Zacks Solar industry has clearly underperformed the broader market, as you can see below:
So, value investors might want to wait for analyst sentiment to turn around in this name first, but once that happens, this stock could be a compelling pick.
Free: Zacks’ Single Best Stock Set to Double
Today you are invited to download our latest Special Report that reveals 5 stocks with the most potential to gain +100% or more in 2020. From those 5, Zacks Director of Research, Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.
This pioneering tech ticker had soared to all-time highs and then subsided to a price that is irresistible. Now a pending acquisition could super-charge the company’s drive past competitors in the development of true Artificial Intelligence. The earlier you get in to this stock, the greater your potential gain.
See 5 Stocks Set to Double>>