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.
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 tried-and-true metrics and fundamental analysis to find companies that they believe are undervalued at their current share price levels.
On top of the Zacks Rank, investors can also look at our innovative Style Scores system to find stocks with specific traits. For example, value investors will want to focus on the "Value" category. Stocks with high Zacks Ranks and "A" grades for Value will be some of the highest-quality value stocks on the market today.
One company to watch right now is Computer Programs and Systems (CPSI). CPSI is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) and an A for Value.
Another valuation metric that we should highlight is CPSI's P/B ratio of 2.13. The P/B is a method of comparing a stock's market value to its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. CPSI's current P/B looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/B of 3.61. Over the past year, CPSI's P/B has been as high as 2.48 and as low as 1.35, with a median of 2.03.
Value investors also frequently use the P/S ratio. This metric is found by dividing a stock's price with the company's revenue. This is a popular metric because sales are harder to manipulate on an income statement, so they are often considered a better performance indicator. CPSI has a P/S ratio of 1.51. This compares to its industry's average P/S of 3.77.
Finally, we should also recognize that CPSI has a P/CF ratio of 11.54. 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. CPSI's current P/CF looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/CF of 33.31. Over the past year, CPSI's P/CF has been as high as 13.60 and as low as 7.40, with a median of 11.13.
These figures are just a handful of the metrics value investors tend to look at, but they help show that Computer Programs and Systems is likely being undervalued right now. Considering this, as well as the strength of its earnings outlook, CPSI feels like a great value stock at the moment.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
