Should Value Investors Pick Molson Coors (TAP) 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 Molson Coors Brewing Company TAP 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, Molson Coors has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 19.7, 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 22.7. If we focus on the stock’s long-term PE trend, the current level puts Molson Coors’ current PE ratio fairly below the highs for this stock, suggesting it might be a good entry point.

Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with its industry’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 35.1. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.

We should also point out that Molson Coors has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this year’s earnings) of just 16.8, so it is fair to say that a slightly more value-oriented path may be ahead for the stock in the near term too.

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, Molson Coors has a P/S ratio of about 1.7. This is lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.6 right now. Also, as we can see in the chart below, this is below the highs for this stock in particular over the past few years.

Broad Value Outlook

In aggregate, Molson Coors currently has a Zacks Value Style Score of B, putting it into the top 40% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes Molson Coors a solid choice for value investors.

For example, the PEG ratio for Molson Coors is 2.2, a level that is lower than the industry average of 2.9. 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 15.8, which is far better than the industry average of 22.7. Clearly, TAP is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.

What About the Stock Overall?

Though Molson Coors 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 B and a Momentum score of B. This gives TAP a Zacks 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 showing a bullish trend. First quarter 2018 has seen one estimates go higher in the past sixty days compared to none lower, while the full year 2018 estimate has also seen three up and one down in the same time period.

This has had a positive impact on the consensus estimate, as the first quarter consensus estimate has risen by 7.7% in the past two months, while the 2018 estimate has inched up by 4.6%.

Despite this bullish trend, the stock has just a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), which indicates expectations of in-line performance from the company in the near term.

Bottom Line

Molson Coors is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. Moreover, a strong industry rank (Top 22% out of more than 250 industries) further supports the growth potential of the stock. However, it is hard to get too excited about this company overall as over the past two years, its industry has underperformed the broader market, as you can see below:

Despite the poor past performance of the industry, a good industry rank signals that the stock is likely to benefit from favorable broader factors in the immediate future. Add to this the positive estimate revisions and robust value metrics, and we believe that we have a strong value contender in Molson Coors.

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