How to Find Undervalued Stocks?

Undervalued stocks are a prize to any investor, but what are these stocks and how can you locate them? An undervalued stock is a stock that has a true value higher than the current stock market value. As long as quality and stability are present in the underlying company, stocks that are undervalued represent a terrific investment opportunity. There are many methods and factors that can be used to find these stocks, and some of these methods involve some stock market research. Usually the dividend yield will not tell you anything about the true value of the stock versus the market value. Some smaller businesses will reinvest dividends back into the business instead of paying shareholders.

One indicator that a stock may be undervalued is the P/E ratio of the stock. If this number is low, it may indicate an undervalued stock. The P/E ratio is simply the price of the stock divided by the earnings for the previous year. Another factor that can help you identify stock at market prices below true value is by looking at the trading volume of the stock. If the trading volume for the stock is low, the stock has not yet caught on, so no adjustments have been made to the value to reflect the true market value. A low trading volume can indicate an undervalued stock that should be purchased. If the trading volume is high, it means that most investors already know about the stock and so it is now priced at close to true value.

The high net profit margin can help you determine the true value of a stock and will help you determine if a stock is valued correctly. High net profit margins are a sign that the company management team is strong and competent. Another factor that helps indicate undervalued stocks is a low debt to equity ratio. If a company has a high debt to equity ratio, this can be a warning sign of financial difficulties and mounting debt for the company, which may spell trouble for investors. Undervalued stocks may also be identified by looking at the year-over-year growth rates. Companies that perform well every year but are priced low are probably undervalued, and these stocks make great long term investments because of their proven track record and performance, as well as their consistent growth and returns. You can also look at the historical data over the last year to see if the stock has underperformed. This can bring down the market value of the stock without affecting the true value, resulting in a terrific undervalued stock chance for you.

One simple and convenient method commonly used by stock investors to identify undervalued stocks is using stock screeners. These software programs allow you to choose the criteria you are looking for by returning a list of stocks that meet your specific criteria. You can set the stock screener with all the criteria that determines and undervalued stock, and the program will give you a list of stocks that are undervalued according to your chosen criteria. Because researching individual stocks can be very time consuming, stock screener programs are becoming very popular with stock investors who are on the watch for undervalued stocks that can present a large return potential on their investment.

The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.