Is Federated Hermes (FHI) a Good Value Investor Stock Now?
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 Federated Hermes, Inc. FHI 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, Federated Hermes has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 7.84, as you can see in the chart below:
This level actually compares favorably with the market at large, as the PE for the S&P 500 stands at about 20.39. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, Federated Hermes’ current PE level puts it below its midpoint over the past five years. Moreover, the current level is fairly below the highs for this stock, suggesting it might be a good entry point.
Moreover, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with the Zacks Finance sector’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 12.87. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is slightly undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
We should also point out that Federated Hermes has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 8.8, 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, Federated Hermes has a P/S ratio of about 1.54. This is relatively lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.38 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.
If anything, FHI 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, Federated Hermes currently has a Zacks Value Style Score of B, putting it into the top 40% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes Federated Hermes a solid choice for value investors.
For example, the PEG ratio for Federated Hermes is just 0.89, a level that is lower than the industry average of 1.55. 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 7.45, which is better than the industry average of 8.23. Clearly, FHI is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.
What about the Stock Overall?
Though Federated Hermes 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 D and a Momentum score of A. This gives FHI a Zacks VGM score—or its overarching fundamental grade—of B. (You can read more about the Zacks Style Scores here >>)
Meanwhile, the company’s recent earnings estimates have been encouraging. The current year has seen four upward revisions in the past sixty days compared to no downward revision, while the full year 2021 estimate has seen three upward revisions compared to one downward revision in the same time period.
The current year consensus estimate has increased 10.6% in the past two months, whereas the full year 2021 estimates increased 11.8% in the past two months. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:
Federated Hermes, Inc. Price and Consensus
Federated Hermes, Inc. price-consensus-chart | Federated Hermes, Inc. Quote
Owing to the positive estimate trend, the stock has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) on the back of its strong value metrics and this is why we are expecting outperformance from the company in the near-term.
Bottom Line
Federated Hermes is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. Furthermore, a robust industry rank (among the Top 8%) and a solid Zacks Rank instills investor confidence.
So, value investors might want to delve deeper in this stock as it appears to be a compelling pick.
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