Advertisement
Australia markets closed
  • ALL ORDS

    8,153.70
    +80.10 (+0.99%)
     
  • ASX 200

    7,896.90
    +77.30 (+0.99%)
     
  • AUD/USD

    0.6516
    -0.0020 (-0.31%)
     
  • OIL

    82.71
    +1.36 (+1.67%)
     
  • GOLD

    2,234.60
    +21.90 (+0.99%)
     
  • Bitcoin AUD

    109,359.88
    +2,260.24 (+2.11%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    885.54
    0.00 (0.00%)
     
  • AUD/EUR

    0.6034
    +0.0003 (+0.06%)
     
  • AUD/NZD

    1.0901
    +0.0021 (+0.19%)
     
  • NZX 50

    12,105.29
    +94.63 (+0.79%)
     
  • NASDAQ

    18,267.94
    -12.91 (-0.07%)
     
  • FTSE

    7,972.98
    +41.00 (+0.52%)
     
  • Dow Jones

    39,724.05
    -36.03 (-0.09%)
     
  • DAX

    18,508.31
    +31.22 (+0.17%)
     
  • Hang Seng

    16,541.42
    +148.58 (+0.91%)
     
  • NIKKEI 225

    40,168.07
    -594.66 (-1.46%)
     

Investors Heavily Search Procter & Gamble Company (The) (PG): Here is What You Need to Know

Procter & Gamble (PG) has been one of the most searched-for stocks on Zacks.com lately. So, you might want to look at some of the facts that could shape the stock's performance in the near term.

Shares of this world's largest consumer products maker have returned +2% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.8% change. The Zacks Soap and Cleaning Materials industry, to which P&G belongs, has gained 3.2% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?

Although media reports or rumors about a significant change in a company's business prospects usually cause its stock to trend and lead to an immediate price change, there are always certain fundamental factors that ultimately drive the buy-and-hold decision.

Revisions to Earnings Estimates

Here at Zacks, we prioritize appraising the change in the projection of a company's future earnings over anything else. That's because we believe the present value of its future stream of earnings is what determines the fair value for its stock.

ADVERTISEMENT

We essentially look at how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to reflect the impact of the latest business trends. And if earnings estimates go up for a company, the fair value for its stock goes up. A higher fair value than the current market price drives investors' interest in buying the stock, leading to its price moving higher. This is why empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

For the current quarter, P&G is expected to post earnings of $1.32 per share, indicating a change of +9.1% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -1.7% over the last 30 days.

For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $5.86 points to a change of +0.9% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has changed +0.4%.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $6.34 indicates a change of +8.2% from what P&G is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed +1.2%.

Having a strong externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, offers a more conclusive picture of a stock's price direction in the near term, since it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. Due to the size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, P&G is rated Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:

12 Month EPS

12-month consensus EPS estimate for PG _12MonthEPSChartUrl
12-month consensus EPS estimate for PG _12MonthEPSChartUrl

Revenue Growth Forecast

Even though a company's earnings growth is arguably the best indicator of its financial health, nothing much happens if it cannot raise its revenues. It's almost impossible for a company to grow its earnings without growing its revenue for long periods. Therefore, knowing a company's potential revenue growth is crucial.

For P&G, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $19.93 billion indicates a year-over-year change of +2.1%. For the current and next fiscal years, $81.38 billion and $85.02 billion estimates indicate +1.5% and +4.5% changes, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise History

P&G reported revenues of $20.07 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +3.5%. EPS of $1.37 for the same period compares with $1.33 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $19.3 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +4.01%. The EPS surprise was +3.79%.

Over the last four quarters, P&G surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times. The company topped consensus revenue estimates each time over this period.

Valuation

Without considering a stock's valuation, no investment decision can be efficient. In predicting a stock's future price performance, it's crucial to determine whether its current price correctly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects.

While comparing the current values of a company's valuation multiples, such as price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S) and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), with its own historical values helps determine whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of the reasonability of the stock's price.

As part of the Zacks Style Scores system, the Zacks Value Style Score (which evaluates both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics) organizes stocks into five groups ranging from A to F (A is better than B; B is better than C; and so on), making it helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.

P&G is graded D on this front, indicating that it is trading at a premium to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.

Bottom Line

The facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about P&G. However, its Zacks Rank #2 does suggest that it may outperform the broader market in the near term.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

Procter & Gamble Company (The) (PG) : Free Stock Analysis Report

To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

Zacks Investment Research