The following are the top rated Consumer Staples stocks according to Validea's Value Investor model based on the published strategy of Benjamin Graham. This deep value methodology screens for stocks that have low P/B and P/E ratios, along with low debt and solid long-term earnings growth.
UNIVERSAL CORP (UVV) is a small-cap growth stock in the Crops industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Benjamin Graham is 86% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Universal Corporation is a global business-to-business agriproducts company. The Company is a global leaf tobacco supplier and provides plant-based ingredients to food and beverage end markets. The Company operates through two segments: Tobacco Operations and Ingredients Operations. The Tobacco Operations segment activities involve contracting, procuring, processing, packing, storing, and shipping leaf tobacco for sale to, or for the account of, manufacturers of consumer tobacco products throughout the world. Through its Ingredients Operations segment, the Company procures raw materials globally and processes the raw materials through a variety of value-added manufacturing processes to produce specialty plant-based ingredients, including fruits, vegetables, botanical extracts, and flavorings for consumer-packaged goods manufacturers, retailers, and food and beverage companies. The Company has operations in over 30 countries on five continents.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
| SECTOR: | PASS |
| SALES: | PASS |
| CURRENT RATIO: | PASS |
| LONG-TERM DEBT IN RELATION TO NET CURRENT ASSETS: | PASS |
| LONG-TERM EPS GROWTH: | PASS |
| P/E RATIO: | FAIL |
| PRICE/BOOK RATIO: | PASS |
Detailed Analysis of UNIVERSAL CORP
INGLES MARKETS INC (IMKTA) is a small-cap growth stock in the Retail (Grocery) industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Benjamin Graham is 86% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Ingles Markets, Incorporated is a grocer with operations in six southeastern states. The Company, in conjunction with its supermarket operations, operates neighborhood shopping centers, most of which contain an Ingles supermarket. The Company also owns a fluid dairy facility that supplies its supermarkets and unaffiliated customers. Its supermarkets offer customers a variety of nationally advertised food products, including grocery, meat and dairy products, produce, frozen foods and other perishables, and non-food products. Its non-food products include fuel centers, pharmacies, health and beauty care products, and general merchandise. The Company also offers private label items, organic and locally sourced items throughout its market areas. The Company operates a total of approximately 198 supermarkets in North Carolina (75), Georgia (65), South Carolina (35), Tennessee (21), Virginia (1) and Alabama (1). It operates approximately 115 in-store pharmacies and 108 fuel stations.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
| SECTOR: | PASS |
| SALES: | PASS |
| CURRENT RATIO: | PASS |
| LONG-TERM DEBT IN RELATION TO NET CURRENT ASSETS: | PASS |
| LONG-TERM EPS GROWTH: | PASS |
| P/E RATIO: | FAIL |
| PRICE/BOOK RATIO: | PASS |
Detailed Analysis of INGLES MARKETS INC
SENECA FOODS CORP (SENEA) is a small-cap growth stock in the Food Processing industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Benjamin Graham is 86% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Seneca Foods Corporation is a provider of packaged fruits and vegetables, with over 26 main facilities located throughout the United States. The Company operates its business through two segments: Vegetable and Fruit/Snack. The Other category comprises non-food operations, including revenue derived from the sale of cans, ends, seed, and outside revenue from the Company's trucking and aircraft operations, and certain corporate items. The Companys principal product offerings include canned, frozen and jarred produce, and snack chips. It also sells canned vegetables, frozen vegetables, jarred fruit, and other food products. It manufactures and sells branded products under national and regional brands that the Company owns or licenses, including Seneca, Libbys, Green Giant, Aunt Nellies, CherryMan, Green Valley and READ. Its fruits and vegetables are sold nationwide by grocery outlets, including supermarkets, mass merchandisers, limited assortment stores, club stores and dollar stores.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
| SECTOR: | PASS |
| SALES: | PASS |
| CURRENT RATIO: | PASS |
| LONG-TERM DEBT IN RELATION TO NET CURRENT ASSETS: | PASS |
| LONG-TERM EPS GROWTH: | PASS |
| P/E RATIO: | FAIL |
| PRICE/BOOK RATIO: | PASS |
Detailed Analysis of SENECA FOODS CORP
SPECTRUM BRANDS HOLDINGS INC (SPB) is a small-cap growth stock in the Appliance & Tool industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Benjamin Graham is 71% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. is a diversified global branded consumer products and home essentials company. The Company is a supplier of specialty pet supplies, lawn and garden and home pest control products, personal insect repellents, shaving and grooming products, personal care products, and small household appliances. Its segments include Global Pet Care (GPC), Home and Garden (H&G) and Home and Personal Care (HPC). GPC segment consists of the Companys global pet care business. H&G segment consists of the Companys home and garden, insect control and cleaning products business. The HPC segment consists of the Companys global small kitchen and personal care appliances businesses. Its brands include GoodnFun, DreamBone, GOOD BOY, SmartBones, Meowee!, Tetra, Marineland, Instant Ocean, and others. It manufactures, markets and distributes its products globally in the North America, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Latin America and Asia-Pacific regions.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
| SECTOR: | PASS |
| SALES: | PASS |
| CURRENT RATIO: | PASS |
| LONG-TERM DEBT IN RELATION TO NET CURRENT ASSETS: | PASS |
| LONG-TERM EPS GROWTH: | FAIL |
| P/E RATIO: | FAIL |
| PRICE/BOOK RATIO: | PASS |
Detailed Analysis of SPECTRUM BRANDS HOLDINGS INC
MONSTER BEVERAGE CORP (MNST) is a large-cap growth stock in the Beverages (Non-Alcoholic) industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Benjamin Graham is 71% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Monster Beverage Corporation is a holding company. The Company, through its subsidiaries, develops, markets, sells and distributes energy drink beverages and concentrates for energy drink beverages under various brand names. Its Monster Energy Drinks segment is primarily consisting of its Monster Energy drinks, Reign Total Body Fuel high performance energy drinks, Reign Storm total wellness energy drinks and Bang Energy drinks. Its Strategic Brands segment is primarily consisting of various energy drink brands acquired from the Coca-Cola Company as well as its affordable energy brands, Predator and Fury. Its Alcohol Brands segment consists of various craft beers, hard seltzers and flavored malt beverages. Its Other segment consists of certain products sold by American Fruits and Flavors LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, to independent third-party customers. It also develops, markets, sells and distributes still and sparkling waters under the Monster Tour Water brand name.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
| SECTOR: | PASS |
| SALES: | PASS |
| CURRENT RATIO: | PASS |
| LONG-TERM DEBT IN RELATION TO NET CURRENT ASSETS: | PASS |
| LONG-TERM EPS GROWTH: | PASS |
| P/E RATIO: | FAIL |
| PRICE/BOOK RATIO: | FAIL |
Detailed Analysis of MONSTER BEVERAGE CORP
About Benjamin Graham: The late Benjamin Graham may be the oldest of the gurus we follow, but his impact on the investing world has lasted for decades after his death in 1976. Known as both the "Father of Value Investing" and the founder of the entire field of security analysis, Graham mentored several of history's greatest investors -- including Warren Buffett -- and inspired a slew of others, including John Templeton, Mario Gabelli, and another of Validea's gurus, John Neff. Graham built his fortune and reputation after living through some extremely difficult times, including both the Great Depression and his own family's financial woes following his father's death when Benjamin was a young man. His investment firm posted per annum returns of about 20 percent from 1936 to 1956, far outpacing the 12.2 percent average return for the market during that time.
About Validea: Validea is aninvestment researchservice that follows the published strategies of investment legends. Validea offers both stock analysis and model portfolios based on gurus who have outperformed the market over the long-term, including Warren Buffett, Benjamin Graham, Peter Lynch and Martin Zweig. For more information about Validea, click here
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.