Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Are Investors Undervaluing Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) Right Now?

Read MoreHide Full Article

While the proven Zacks Rank places an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find strong stocks, we also know that investors tend to develop their own individual strategies. With this in mind, we are always looking at value, growth, and momentum trends to discover great companies.

Of these, perhaps no stock market trend is more popular than value investing, which is a strategy that has proven to be successful in all sorts of market environments. Value investors use a variety of methods, including tried-and-true valuation metrics, to find these stocks.

In addition to the Zacks Rank, investors looking for stocks with specific traits can utilize our Style Scores system. Of course, value investors will be most interested in the system's "Value" category. Stocks with "A" grades for Value and high Zacks Ranks are among the best value stocks available at any given moment.

Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF - Free Report) is a stock many investors are watching right now. ANF is currently holding a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) and a Value grade of A. The stock has a Forward P/E ratio of 13.53. This compares to its industry's average Forward P/E of 14.28. Over the past year, ANF's Forward P/E has been as high as 121.44 and as low as 11.21, with a median of 16.88.

Finally, investors will want to recognize that ANF has a P/CF ratio of 12.36. This figure highlights a company's operating cash flow and can be used to find firms that are undervalued when considering their impressive cash outlook. ANF's P/CF compares to its industry's average P/CF of 13.86. Over the past 52 weeks, ANF's P/CF has been as high as 13.11 and as low as 4.21, with a median of 9.84.

The Gap may be another strong Retail - Apparel and Shoes stock to add to your shortlist. GPS is a # 1 (Strong Buy) stock with a Value grade of A.

The Gap is currently trading with a Forward P/E ratio of 15.76 while its PEG ratio sits at 1.31. Both of the company's metrics compare favorably to its industry's average P/E of 14.28 and average PEG ratio of 0.75.

GPS's Forward P/E has been as high as 30.13 and as low as -63.95, with a median of 14.63. During the same time period, its PEG ratio has been as high as 2.51, as low as -5.33, with a median of 1.22.

Additionally, The Gap has a P/B ratio of 2.06 while its industry's price-to-book ratio sits at 3.56. For GPS, this valuation metric has been as high as 2.49, as low as 1.25, with a median of 1.67 over the past year.

These are just a handful of the figures considered in Abercrombie & Fitch and The Gap's great Value grade. Still, they help show that the stock is likely being undervalued at the moment. Add this to the strength of its earnings outlook, and we can clearly see that ANF and GPS is an impressive value stock right now.


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:


Abercrombie & Fitch Company (ANF) - free report >>

Published in