Will Sanofi (SNY) Prove to be a Suitable Value 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 Sanofi SNY 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, Sanofi has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 14.13, 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 20.43. While Sanofi’s current PE level puts it above its midpoint of 13.97 over the past five years, the current multiple stands below the highs for the stock, leaving some scope for entry still.

Further, the stock’s PE also compares favorably with the Zacks classified Medical sector’s trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 18.88. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.
 

    
We should also point out that Sanofi’s forward PE is roughly same as its trailing twelve months value, so we might say that the forward earnings estimates are incorporated in the company’s share price as of now. We define forward PE as current price relative to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current fiscal year.

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, Sanofi has a P/S ratio of about 3.02. This is a bit lower than the S&P 500 average, which comes in at 3.10 right now. Also, as we can see in the chart below, this stands below the highs for this stock in particular over the past few years.

Broad Value Outlook

In aggregate, Sanofi 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 Sanofi a solid choice for value investors, and some of its other key metrics make this pretty clear too.

For example, Sanofi’s P/CF ratio (another great indicator of value) comes in at 9.64, which is far better than the industry average of 15.25. Clearly, SNY is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.

What About the Stock Overall?

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

Notably, the company’s recent earnings estimates have been favorable, as the full year estimate has seen two upward and one downward revision in the last sixty days.

This has had a positive impact on the consensus estimate, as the full year estimate has increased 4.1% over the past two months. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:

Sanofi Price and Consensus
 

Sanofi Price and Consensus | Sanofi 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 positive analyst sentiment hints at favorable near-term prospects.

Bottom Line

Clearly, Sanofi is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. Despite having a Zacks Rank #3, the stock belongs to an industry which is ranked among the Top 39%, which indicates that broader factors are favorable for the company. Further, over the past three months, the Zacks classified Large Cap Pharma industry has outperformed the broader market, as you can see below:

 
So, it might pay for value investors to delve deeper into the company’s prospects, as fundamentals indicate that this stock could be a compelling pick.

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