Are Investors Undervaluing Asahi Kasei (AHKSY) Right Now?

Here at Zacks, we focus on our proven ranking system, which places an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, to find winning stocks. But we also understand that investors develop their own strategies, so we are constantly looking at the latest trends in value, growth, and momentum to find strong companies for our readers.Considering these trends, value investing is clearly one of the most preferred ways to find strong stocks in any type of market. Value investors rely on traditional forms of analysis on key valuation metrics to find stocks that they believe are undervalued, leaving room for profits.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.One company to watch right now is Asahi Kasei (AHKSY). AHKSY is currently holding a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and a Value grade of A. Investors should also recognize that AHKSY has a P/B ratio of 0.92. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. AHKSY's current P/B looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/B of 1.87. AHKSY's P/B has been as high as 0.94 and as low as 0.69, with a median of 0.78, over the past year.Value investors also frequently use the P/S ratio. This metric is found by dividing a stock's price with the company's revenue. This is a preferred metric because revenue can't really be manipulated, so sales are often a truer performance indicator. AHKSY has a P/S ratio of 0.69. This compares to its industry's average P/S of 0.7.If you're looking for another solid Chemical - Diversified value stock, take a look at Johnson Matthey (JMPLY). JMPLY is a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) stock with a Value score of A.Shares of Johnson Matthey currently hold a Forward P/E ratio of 13.17, and its PEG ratio is 2.95. In comparison, its industry sports average P/E and PEG ratios of 21.80 and 0.69.Over the past year, JMPLY's P/E has been as high as 13.44, as low as 6.77, with a median of 8.63; its PEG ratio has been as high as 3.28, as low as 0.40, with a median of 0.53 during the same time period.Furthermore, Johnson Matthey holds a P/B ratio of 1.49 and its industry's price-to-book ratio is 1.87. JMPLY's P/B has been as high as 1.52, as low as 0.83, with a median of 1.02 over the past 12 months.These are just a handful of the figures considered in Asahi Kasei and Johnson Matthey's great Value grade. Still, they help show that the stock is likely being undervalued at the moment. Add this to the strength of its earnings outlook, and we can clearly see that AHKSY and JMPLY is an impressive value stock right now.5 Stocks Set to DoubleEach was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the favorite stock to gain +100% or more in the months ahead. They includeStock #1: A Disruptive Force with Notable Growth and ResilienceStock #2: Bullish Signs Signaling to Buy the DipStock #3: One of the Most Compelling Investments in the MarketStock #4: Leader In a Red-Hot Industry Poised for GrowthStock #5: Modern Omni-Channel Platform Coiled to SpringMost of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor. While not all picks can be winners, previous recommendations have soared +171%, +209% and +232%.See Our Newest 5 Stocks Set to Double Picks >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Asahi Kasei Corp. (AHKSY): Free Stock Analysis Report Johnson Matthey PLC (JMPLY): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks