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5 Value Picks Boasting Amazingly Low EV/EBITDA Ratios

Published 12/17/2019, 07:58 AM
Updated 07/09/2023, 06:31 AM

The price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is widely considered by investors as a yardstick for evaluating the fair market value of a stock. It is preferred by many investors to handpick stocks trading at attractive prices. However, even this universally used valuation multiple is not without its limitations.

Is EV/EBITDA a Better Alternative to P/E?

Although P/E enjoys great popularity among value investors, a more-complicated metric called EV/EBITDA is sometimes viewed as a better alternative. EV/EBITDA, also referred to as the enterprise multiple, gives the true picture of a company’s valuation and earning potential. Additionally, it has a more comprehensive approach to valuation.

EV/EBITDA is essentially the enterprise value (EV) of a stock divided by its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA). EV is the sum of a company’s market capitalization, its debt and preferred stock minus cash and cash equivalents. Essentially, it is the total value of a company.

EBITDA, the other component of the ratio, gives the true picture of a company’s profitability as it eliminates the impact of non-cash expenses like depreciation and amortization that depress net earnings. It is also often used as a proxy for cash flows.

Just like P/E, the lower the EV/EBITDA ratio, the more appealing it is. A low EV/EBITDA ratio could be a sign that a stock is potentially undervalued.

However, EV/EBITDA takes into account the debt on a company’s balance sheet that P/E ratio does not. Given this reason, EV/EBITDA is usually used to value possible acquisition targets, as it shows the amount of debt the acquirer has to assume. Companies with a low EV/EBITDA multiple could be seen as attractive takeover candidates.

P/E also can’t be used to value a loss-making firm. A company’s earnings are also subject to accounting estimates and management manipulation. On the other hand, EV/EBITDA is difficult to manipulate and can also be used to value companies that are making loss but are EBITDA-positive.

EV/EBITDA is also a useful tool in measuring the value of firms that are highly leveraged and have a high degree of depreciation. Moreover, it can be used to compare companies with different levels of debt.

However, EV/EBITDA is also not without its limitations and alone cannot conclusively determine a stock’s inherent potential and future performance. The ratio varies across industries and is generally not appropriate while comparing stocks in different industries given their diverse capital spending requirements.

Hence, instead of solely relying on EV/EBITDA, you can club it with the other key ratios such as price-to-book (P/B), P/E and price-to-sales (P/S) to achieve the desired outcome.

Screening Criteria

Here are the parameters to screen for value stocks:

EV/EBITDA 12 Months-Most Recent less than X-Industry Median: A lower EV/EBITDA ratio represents a cheaper valuation.

P/E using (F1) less than X-Industry Median: This metric screens stocks that are trading at a discount to their peers.

P/B less than X-Industry Median: A lower P/B compared with the industry average implies that the stock is undervalued.

P/S less than X-Industry Median: The lower the P/S ratio the more attractive the stock is as investors will have to pay a smaller price for the same amount of sales generated by the company.

Estimated One-Year EPS Growth F(1)/F(0) greater than or equal to X-Industry Median: This parameter will help in screening stocks that have growth rates higher than the industry median. This is a meaningful indicator as decent earnings growth always adds to investor optimism.

Average 20-day Volume greater than or equal to 100,000: The addition of this metric ensures that shares can be traded easily.

Current Price greater than or equal to $5: This parameter will help in screening stocks that are trading at a minimum price of $5 or higher.

Zacks Rank less than or equal to 2: No screening is complete without the Zacks Rank, which has proven its worth since inception. It is a fundamental truth that stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) have always managed to beat adversities and outperform the market.

Value Score of less than or equal to B: Our research shows that stocks with a Value Score of A or B when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 or 2 offer the best upside potential.

Here are five of the 11 stocks that passed the screen:

Verso Corporation (NYSE:VRS) makes printing papers used primarily in commercial printing, media and marketing applications. This Zacks Rank #1 stock has a Value Score of A. Earnings estimates for the company for the current year have moved up 86.2% over the past two months.

Qiwi plc (NASDAQ:QIWI) operates as a provider of next generation payment services primarily in Russia and the CIS. This Zacks Rank #1 stock has an expected year-over-year earnings growth rate of 72.9% for the current year and a Value Score of B. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Newell Brands Inc. (NASDAQ:NWL) is a global manufacturer and marketer of consumer and commercial products. This Zacks Rank #2 stock has an expected year-over-year earnings growth rate of 29.5% for the current year and a Value Score of A.

WhiteHorse Finance, Inc. (NASDAQ:WHF) is a business development company focused on originating loans to privately held small-cap companies across a broad range of industries. This Zacks Rank #2 stock has an expected year-over-year earnings growth rate of 1.3% for the current year. It also has a Value Score of B.

Element Solutions Inc (NYSE:ESI) is a leading specialty chemicals company that offers innovative solutions to its customers across a vast spectrum of industries. This Zacks Rank #2 stock has an expected year-over-year earnings growth rate of 514.3% for the current year and a Value Score of B.

You can get the rest of the stocks on this list by signing up now for your 2-week free trial to the Research Wizard and start using this screen in your own trading. Further, you can also create your own strategies and test them first before taking the investment plunge.

The Research Wizard is a great place to begin. It's easy to use. Everything is in plain language. And it's very intuitive. Start your Research Wizard trial today. And the next time you read an economic report, open up the Research Wizard, plug your finds in, and see what gems come out.

Click here to sign up for a free trial to the Research Wizard today.

Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material.

Disclosure: Performance information for Zacks’ portfolios and strategies are available at: https://www.zacks.com/performance.



Newell Brands Inc. (NWL): Free Stock Analysis Report

WhiteHorse Finance, Inc. (WHF): Free Stock Analysis Report

Verso Corporation (VRS): Free Stock Analysis Report

Element Solutions Inc (ESI): Free Stock Analysis Report

QIWI PLC (QIWI): Free Stock Analysis Report

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Zacks Investment Research

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