Here at Zacks, our focus is on the proven Zacks Rank system, which emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find great stocks. Nevertheless, we are always paying attention to the latest value, growth, and momentum trends to underscore 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 a variety of methods, including tried-and-true valuation metrics, to find these stocks.
On top of the Zacks Rank, investors can also look at our innovative Style Scores system to find stocks with specific traits. For example, value investors will want to focus on the "Value" category. Stocks with high Zacks Ranks and "A" grades for Value will be some of the highest-quality value stocks on the market today.
California Resources (CRC) is a stock many investors are watching right now. CRC is currently holding a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and a Value grade of A.
Investors should also note that CRC holds a PEG ratio of 1.11. This figure is similar to the commonly-used P/E ratio, with the PEG ratio also factoring in a company's expected earnings growth rate. CRC's PEG compares to its industry's average PEG of 1.40. CRC's PEG has been as high as 1.32 and as low as 0.73, with a median of 1.05, all within the past year.
Another notable valuation metric for CRC is its P/B ratio of 1.35. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. CRC's current P/B looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/B of 2.85. Within the past 52 weeks, CRC's P/B has been as high as 1.79 and as low as 0.82, with a median of 1.14.
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 preferred metric because revenue can't really be manipulated, so sales are often a truer performance indicator. CRC has a P/S ratio of 1.49. This compares to its industry's average P/S of 1.92.
Finally, investors will want to recognize that CRC has a P/CF ratio of 4.08. 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. CRC's current P/CF looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/CF of 11.20. Within the past 12 months, CRC's P/CF has been as high as 9.93 and as low as 3.06, with a median of 5.07.
These figures are just a handful of the metrics value investors tend to look at, but they help show that California Resources is likely being undervalued right now. Considering this, as well as the strength of its earnings outlook, CRC feels like a great value stock at the moment.
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California Resources Corporation (CRC): Free Stock Analysis Report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).