Is Unisys Corporation (UIS) a Great Stock for Value Investors?

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 Unisys Corporation UIS 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, Unisys Corporation has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 5.88, 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 compares in at about 18.24. If we focus on the stock’s long-term PE trend, the current level puts Unisys Corporation’s current PE ratio slightly below its midpoint (which is 5.99) over the past five years.

Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with the Zacks Computer and Technology sector’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 20.41. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.

We should also point out that Unisys Corporation has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 5.79, 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, Unisys Corporation has a P/S ratio of about 0.30. This is substantially lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.30 right now. Also, as we can see in the chart below, this is somewhat below the highs for this stock in particular over the past few years.

If anything, this suggests some level of undervalued trading—at least compared to historical norms.   

Broad Value Outlook

In aggregate, Unisys Corporation currently has a Value Style Score of A, putting it into the top 20% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes UIS a solid choice for value investors, and some of its other key metrics make this pretty clear too.

For example, the P/CF ratio (another great indicator of value) comes in at 1.89, which is much better than the industry average of 15.99. Clearly, UIS is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.

What About the Stock Overall?

Though Unisys Corporation 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 UIS a 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 consensus estimate has fallen 8% in the past two months, while the full year estimate has risen 4.8%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:

Unisys Corporation Price and Consensus

 

Unisys Corporation Price and Consensus | Unisys Corporation Quote

Despite this mixed trend, the stock’s Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) indicates robust fundamentals and expectations of outperformance in the near term.

Bottom Line

Unisys Corporation is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. Boasting a good industry rank (top 27% out of more than 250 industries) and a top Zacks Rank, the company deserves attention right now. In fact, over the past one year, the broader industry has clearly outperformed the market at large, as you can see below:

So, value investors might want to wait for estimates to turn favorable in this name first, but once that happens, this stock could be a compelling pick.

Biggest Tech Breakthrough in a Generation

Be among the early investors in the new type of device that experts say could impact society as much as the discovery of electricity. Current technology will soon be outdated and replaced by these new devices. In the process, it’s expected to create 22 million jobs and generate $12.3 trillion in activity.

A select few stocks could skyrocket the most as rollout accelerates for this new tech. Early investors could see gains similar to buying Microsoft in the 1990s. Zacks’ just-released special report reveals 7 stocks to watch. The report is only available for a limited time.

See 7 breakthrough stocks now>>

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
 
Unisys Corporation (UIS) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
 
Zacks Investment Research