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Should Value Investors Buy Carriage Services (CSV) Stock?

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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.

Looking at the history of these trends, perhaps none is more beloved than value investing. This strategy simply looks to identify companies that are being undervalued by the broader market. Value investors use fundamental analysis and traditional valuation metrics to find stocks that they believe are being undervalued by the market at large.

Luckily, Zacks has developed its own Style Scores system in an effort to find stocks with specific traits. Value investors will be interested in the system's "Value" category. Stocks with both "A" grades in the Value category and high Zacks Ranks are among the strongest value stocks on the market right now.

Carriage Services (CSV - Free Report) is a stock many investors are watching right now. CSV is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy), as well as an A grade for Value. The stock has a Forward P/E ratio of 13.29. This compares to its industry's average Forward P/E of 17.70. Over the last 12 months, CSV's Forward P/E has been as high as 13.29 and as low as 7.96, with a median of 11.02.

Investors should also note that CSV holds a PEG ratio of 0.89. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. CSV's PEG compares to its industry's average PEG of 1.71. Over the past 52 weeks, CSV's PEG has been as high as 0.89 and as low as 0.53, with a median of 0.73.

We should also highlight that CSV has a P/B ratio of 2.74. The P/B ratio is used to compare a stock's market value with its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. CSV's current P/B looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/B of 5.59. Over the past year, CSV's P/B has been as high as 3.05 and as low as 1.87, with a median of 2.24.

Finally, investors will want to recognize that CSV has a P/CF ratio of 8.94. This data point considers a firm's operating cash flow and is frequently used to find companies that are undervalued when considering their solid cash outlook. This stock's P/CF looks attractive against its industry's average P/CF of 11.04. Over the past year, CSV's P/CF has been as high as 9.24 and as low as 5.86, with a median of 7.20.

Value investors will likely look at more than just these metrics, but the above data helps show that Carriage Services is likely undervalued currently. And when considering the strength of its earnings outlook, CSV sticks out at as one of the market's strongest value stocks.


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