4 High Earnings Yield Picks to Supercharge Your Portfolio Value

Rimmi Singhi
6 min read

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Last month, the Federal Reserve made a notable 50-basis point rate cut, marking its first reduction since March 2020. Investors remain optimistic that the Fed might enact two additional cuts this year, but concerns over a slowing economy have raised doubts about the pace of these reductions. With the U.S. presidential election just weeks away, market volatility is expected to rise. In this climate, value investing could be a sound strategy, allowing investors to buy undervalued stocks and potentially realize substantial returns as prices align with the stocks’ fundamental values.

A commonly used metric to identify undervalued stocks with strong upside potential is the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio. However, another valuable metric for spotting attractively priced stocks is earnings yield. High earnings yield stocks, such as — Suzano S.A. SUZ, Mr. Cooper Group Inc. COOP, IAMGOLD Corp IAG and Valaris Limited VAL — offer the potential for substantial long-term gains.

Understanding Earnings Yield Strength

Earnings yield is a critical measure for investors focusing on return rates. Expressed as a percentage, it is calculated by dividing annual earnings per share (EPS) by the market price of the stock. This metric reveals the expected return from earnings for each dollar invested in a stock. When comparing stocks with similar characteristics, those with higher earnings yields are typically viewed as undervalued, while those with lower yields are seen as overpriced.

Although earnings yield is the inverse of the P/E ratio, it offers additional insight, particularly when comparing stocks with fixed-income securities. Investors often compare a stock’s earnings yield to current interest rates, like the 10-year Treasury yield, to assess its return relative to risk-free alternatives. If a stock’s yield is lower than the 10-year Treasury yield, it may be considered overvalued relative to bonds. Conversely, a higher yield suggests undervaluation, making the stock market a more appealing option for value investors.

Screening Parameters

We have set Earnings Yield greater than 10% as our primary screening criterion but it alone cannot be used for picking stocks that have the potential of generating solid returns. So, we have added the following parameters to the screen:

Estimated EPS growth for the next 12 months greater than or equal to the S&P 500: This metric compares the 12-month forward EPS estimate with the 12-month actual EPS.

Average Daily Volume (20 Day) greater than or equal to 100,000: High trading volume implies that a stock has adequate liquidity.

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