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The proven Zacks Rank system focuses on earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find winning stocks. Nevertheless, we know that our readers all have their own perspectives, so we are always looking at the latest trends in value, growth, and momentum to find strong picks.
Of these, value investing is easily one of the most popular ways to find great stocks in any market environment. Value investors use fundamental analysis and traditional valuation metrics to find stocks that they believe are being undervalued by the market at large.
Zacks has developed the innovative Style Scores system to highlight stocks with specific traits. For example, value investors will be interested in stocks with great grades in the "Value" category. When paired with a high Zacks Rank, "A" grades in the Value category are among the strongest value stocks on the market today.
One company to watch right now is Rayonier Advanced Materials (RYAM). RYAM is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), as well as an A grade for Value.
Value investors also love the P/S ratio, which is calculated by simply dividing a stock's price with the company's sales. This is a popular metric because sales are harder to manipulate on an income statement, so they are often considered a better performance indicator. RYAM has a P/S ratio of 0.33. This compares to its industry's average P/S of 0.91.
Finally, our model also underscores that RYAM has a P/CF ratio of 7.90. 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. RYAM's current P/CF looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/CF of 17.20. RYAM's P/CF has been as high as 9.77 and as low as 1.63, with a median of 6.67, all within the past year.
Sappi (SPPJY) may be another strong Paper and Related Products stock to add to your shortlist. SPPJY is a # 2 (Buy) stock with a Value grade of A.
Sappi is trading at a forward earnings multiple of 4.75 at the moment, with a PEG ratio of 0.18. This compares to its industry's average P/E of 4.80 and average PEG ratio of 1.90.
SPPJY's price-to-earnings ratio has been as high as 11.17 and as low as 4.56, with a median of 7.78, while its PEG ratio has been as high as 3.71 and as low as 0.18, with a median of 0.35, all within the past year.
Sappi also has a P/B ratio of 0.67 compared to its industry's price-to-book ratio of 3.45. Over the past year, its P/B ratio has been as high as 0.76, as low as 0.49, with a median of 0.62.