Is Progress Software (PRGS) Stock Undervalued Right Now?

The proven Zacks Rank system focuses on earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find winning stocks. Nevertheless, we know that our readers all have their own perspectives, so we are always looking at the latest trends in value, growth, and momentum to find strong picks.

Of these, perhaps no stock market trend is more popular than value investing, which is a strategy that has proven to be successful in all sorts of market environments. Value investors use fundamental analysis and traditional valuation metrics to find stocks that they believe are being undervalued by the market at large.

In addition to the Zacks Rank, investors looking for stocks with specific traits can utilize our Style Scores system. Of course, value investors will be most interested in the system's "Value" category. Stocks with "A" grades for Value and high Zacks Ranks are among the best value stocks available at any given moment.

One company value investors might notice is Progress Software (PRGS). PRGS is currently holding a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and a Value grade of A. The stock holds a P/E ratio of 7.46, while its industry has an average P/E of 19.19. PRGS's Forward P/E has been as high as 14.46 and as low as 7.37, with a median of 10.95, all within the past year.

We should also highlight that PRGS has a P/B ratio of 4. Investors use the P/B ratio to look at a stock's market value versus its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. This company's current P/B looks solid when compared to its industry's average P/B of 5.64. PRGS's P/B has been as high as 7.05 and as low as 3.95, with a median of 5.89, 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. Some people prefer this metric because sales are harder to manipulate on an income statement. This means it could be a truer performance indicator. PRGS has a P/S ratio of 1.66. This compares to its industry's average P/S of 3.78.

Finally, we should also recognize that PRGS has a P/CF ratio of 9.86. This metric focuses on a firm's operating cash flow and is often used to find stocks that are undervalued based on the strength of their cash outlook. PRGS's current P/CF looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/CF of 14.09. PRGS's P/CF has been as high as 18.02 and as low as 9.74, with a median of 14.83, all within the past year.

These are just a handful of the figures considered in Progress Software'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 PRGS is an impressive value stock right now.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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