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 Deutsche Lufthansa (DE:LHAG) Aktiengesellschaft (OTC:DLAKY) 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, Deutsche Lufthansa has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 8.5, 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 compares in at about 22.3. If we focus on the stock’s long-term PE trend, the current level puts Deutsche Lufthansa’s current PE ratio somewhat above its midpoint (which is 6.9) over the past five years.
Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with the industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 14.3. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should also point out that Deutsche Lufthansa has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 7.9, so it is fair to say that a slightly more value-oriented path may be ahead for Deutsche Lufthansa’s 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, Deutsche Lufthansa has a P/S ratio of about 0.5. This is significantly lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.5 right now. Also, as we can see in the chart below, this is equivalent to the highs for this stock in particular over the past few years.
DLAKY is actually in the higher zone of its trading range in the time period per the P/S metric, which suggests that the company’s stock price has already appreciated to some degree, relative to its sales.
Broad Value Outlook
In aggregate, Deutsche Lufthansa currently has a Value Style Score of A, putting it into the top 20% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes DLAKY a solid choice for value investors, and some of its other key metrics make this pretty clear too.
For example, the P/CF ratio (another great indicator of value) comes in at 4.4, which is noticeably better than the industry average of 6.2. Clearly, DLAKY is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though Deutsche Lufthansa 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 grade of B and a Momentum score of B. This gives DLAKY a VGM score—or its overarching fundamental grade—of A. (You can read more about the Zacks Style Scores here >>)
Meanwhile, the company’s recent earnings estimates have been encouraging. The full-year 2017 has seen one estimate go higher in the past sixty days, compared to none lower, while the full-year 2018 estimate has seen a similar trend in the same time period.
This has had a favorable impact on the consensus estimate, as the full-year 2017 consensus estimate surged nearly 49.9% in the past two months, while the full-year 2018 estimate has increased about 45.9%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
This bullish trend is why the stock boasts a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and why we are expecting outperformance from the company in the near term.
Bottom Line
Deutsche Lufthansa is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. Boasting a decent industry rank (top 37% out of more than 250 industries) and a top Zacks Rank, the company deserves attention right now. However, over the past one year, the sector has clearly underperformed the broader market, as you can see below:
Despite positive estimate revision activity, investors should wait for industry trend to turn around first. When it does, this stock could be a compelling value pick.
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Deutsche Lufthansa AG (DLAKY): Free Stock Analysis Report
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