Is Enova International (ENVA) A Suitable Value Stock?

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 Enova International, Inc. (NYSE:ENVA) 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, Enova International has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 13.47, 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 21.54. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, Enova International’s current PE level puts it above its midpoint of 8.43 over the past few years, with the number having risen rapidly over the past few months. However, the current level stands lower then the highs for the stock, indicating scope for entry.



Further, the stock’s PE compares favorably with the Zacks Finance sector’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 16.94. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.



We should also point out that Enova International has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 11.98, so it is fair to say that a slightly more value-oriented path may be ahead for Enova International stock in the near term too.

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, Enova International has a P/S ratio of about 0.64. This is significantly lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.41 right now. Also, as we can see in the chart below, this stands below the highs for this stock in particular over the past few years.



Broad Value Outlook

In aggregate, Enova International currently has a Value Score of A, putting it into the top 20% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes Enova International a solid choice for value investors.

What About the Stock Overall?

Though Enova International 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 Score of B and a Momentum Score of F. This gives ENVA 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 at best. The current quarter has seen two estimates go lower in the past sixty days compared to no upward revisions, while the full year estimate has seen two upward revisions and no downward revisions in the same time period.

This has had a mixed impact on the consensus estimate, as the current quarter consensus estimate has slumped by 16% in the past two months, while the full year estimate has increased 4%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:

This 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

Enova International is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. However, with a sluggish Zacks Industry Rank (among Bottom 24% of more than 250 industries) and a Zacks Rank #3, it is hard to get too excited about this company overall. In fact, over the past two years, the industry has clearly underperformed 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.

5 Medical Stocks to Buy Now

Zacks names 5 companies poised to ride a medical breakthrough that is targeting cures for leukemia, AIDS, muscular dystrophy, hemophilia, and other conditions.

New products in this field are already generating substantial revenue and even more wondrous treatments are in the pipeline. Early investors could realize exceptional profits.

Click here to see the 5 stocks >>

Enova International, Inc. (ENVA): Free Stock Analysis Report

Original post

Zacks Investment Research