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.
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 a variety of methods, including tried-and-true valuation metrics, to find these stocks.
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 company to watch right now is Laureate Education (LAUR). LAUR is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), as well as an A grade for Value. The stock has a Forward P/E ratio of 11.90. This compares to its industry's average Forward P/E of 15.15. LAUR's Forward P/E has been as high as 13.71 and as low as 9.90, with a median of 11.65, all within the past year.
Another valuation metric that we should highlight is LAUR's P/B ratio of 3.16. The P/B ratio is used to compare a stock's market value with its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. LAUR's current P/B looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/B of 3.31. Over the past 12 months, LAUR's P/B has been as high as 3.32 and as low as 2.37, with a median of 2.81.
These are just a handful of the figures considered in Laureate Education'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 LAUR is an impressive value stock right now.
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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
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