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Should Value Investors Consider McKesson (MCK) 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 McKesson Corporation MCK 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, McKesson has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 12.67, 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 20.34. If we focus on the long-term PE trend, McKesson’s current PE level puts it below its midpoint of 15.57 over the past five years. Moreover, the current level stands well below the highs for the stock, suggesting that it could be a solid entry point.



Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with the Zacks classified Medical sector’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 19.90. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
 



We should also point out that McKesson has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of 13.25, 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, McKesson has a P/S ratio of about 0.18. This is significantly lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.15 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, MCK 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, McKesson currently has a Zacks Value Style Score of ‘A’, putting it into the top 20% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes McKesson a solid choice for value investors, and some of its other key metrics make this pretty clear too.

For example, the PEG ratio for McKesson is just 1.91, a level that is lower than the industry average of 2.11. 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 5.68, which is far better than the industry average of 13.92. Clearly, MCK is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.

What About the Stock Overall?

Though McKesson 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 ‘A’ and a Momentum score of ‘C’. This gives MCK a Zacks VGM score—or its overarching fundamental grade—of ‘C’. (You can read more about the Zacks Style Scores here >>)

Meanwhile, the company’s recent earnings estimates have been quite mixed. The current quarter has seen two upward and downward estimate revisions each in the past sixty days, while the full year estimate has seen seven upward and no downward revisions in the same time period.

This has had a somewhat positive impact on the consensus estimate, as the current quarter consensus estimate is the same as it was two months ago, while the full year estimate has increased 4.6%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:

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McKesson Corporation Price and Consensus
 

McKesson Corporation Price and Consensus | McKesson Corporation Quote

However, this somewhat bullish trend has likely not yet been reflected in the stock, as we have just a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), which indicates expectations of in-line performance in the near term. Nonetheless, the bullish analyst sentiment indicates that the stock’s future prospects look good.

Bottom Line

McKesson is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. While this Zacks Rank #3 stock belongs to the Zacks categorized Medical/Dental – Supplies industry that has underperformed the broader market in the last two years – the industry ranks among the Top 29% of the Zacks industries. This hints at favorable broader prospects, alongside signaling chances of revival.



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

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