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 American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:AXL) 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, American Axle & Manufacturing has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 4.21, 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 stands at about 20.34. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, American Axle & Manufacturing’s current PE level puts it below its midpoint over the past five years.
Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with the Zacks classified Automotive - Original Equipment industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 13.17. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should also point out that American Axle & Manufacturing has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 4.24, so it is fair to expect an increase in the company’s share price in the near future.
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, American Axle & Manufacturing has a P/S ratio of about 0.29. This is a bit lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.15 right now. Also, as we can see in the chart below, this is well below the highs for this stock in particular over the past few years.
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If anything, AXL is in the lower end of its range in the time period from a P/S metric, suggesting some level of undervalued trading—at least compared to historical norms.
Broad Value Outlook
In aggregate, American Axle & Manufacturing currently has a Zacks Value Style Score of ‘A’, putting it into the top 20% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes American Axle & Manufacturing a solid choice for value investors, and some of its other key metrics make this pretty clear too.
For example, the PEG ratio for American Axle & Manufacturing is just 0.53, a level that is far lower than the industry average of 1.14. The PEG ratio is a modified PE ratio that takes into account the stock’s earnings growth rate. Additionally, its P/CF ratio (another great indicator of value) comes in at 5.09, which is far better than the industry average of 8.51. Clearly, AXL is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.
What About the Stock Overall?
Though American Axle & Manufacturing 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 ‘C’. This gives AXL a Zacks 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 mixed. The current quarter has seen no estimate revisions in the past thirty days, while the full year estimate has seen no upward revisions and one downward revision in the same time period.
This has had just a small impact on the consensus estimate though as the current quarter consensus estimate has remained unchanged at 92 cents the past one month, while the full year estimate has moved lower by 1.19%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. Price and Consensus
American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. Price and Consensus | American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. Quote
This somewhat mixed trend is why the stock has just a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) and why we are looking for in-line performance from the company in the near term.
Bottom Line
American Axle & Manufacturing is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. Moreover, a strong industry rank (Top 16% out of more than 250 industries) further supports the growth potential of the stock. In fact, over the past one year, the Zacks Automotive - Original Equipment industry has clearly outperformed the broader market, as you can see below:
So, value investors might want to wait for estimates and analyst sentiment to turn around in this name first, but once that happens, this stock could be a compelling pick.
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American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. (AXL): Free Stock Analysis Report
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