Based on key financial metrics such as the price-to-sales ratio, shareholder yield and the price-earnings ratio, the following 5 stocks made the list for top value stocks in the Pharmaceuticals industry. Those looking for value stocks to add to their portfolio may want to use this list as a starting point for further investment research.

Latest Pharmaceuticals Stock News

Before choosing which top Pharmaceuticals stock to buy, be sure to conduct proper due diligence: analyze various financial metrics and look at historical data, public statements and news coverage.

The outlook for the Pharmaceuticals sub-industry is positive as the world returns to normalcy and demand for electives and improved medical utilization. COVID-19 therapies, oncology and immunology are essential aspects of pharmaceutical companies. Should COVID-19 variants continue to arise getting a COVID-19 vaccine could become a seasonal phenomenon, much like the flu vaccine. If that were to happen, it would prove to be very lucrative for pharmaceutical companies, as it would generate recurring sales. Recent FDA recommendations, such as approval for a fourth booster dose for those aged 50 or older, suggests we may be moving in this direction. Generic drug makers are expected to continue to struggle due to lower-cost emerging market competition. Despite this, policy risks are on the rise. Lowering drug prices continues to be a bipartisan issue as both parties aim to offer Americans more affordable prices. While this provides uncertainty in the long-term, it is unlikely that legislation will get passed in the near future due to more pressing issues in the political agenda. Year to date through June 3, the S&P Pharmaceuticals Index was up 1.5% vs. a 13.6% decline for the S&P Composite 1500 Index. In 2021, the S&P Pharmaceuticals Index returned a gain of 21.8%, vs. a gain of 26.7% for the S&P Composite 1500.

Why Focus on Undervalued Pharmaceuticals Stocks?

Value investors seek to buy stocks at a discount to their intrinsic value. Long-term returns show that such strategies are advantageous. Value stocks, as a group, tend to outperform growth stocks over extended periods of time. Typically, value investors perform financial analysis of numerous metrics, don’t follow the herd and are long-term investors.

AAII’s A+ Investor Value Grade is derived from a stock’s Value Score. The Value Score is the percentile rank of the average of the percentile ranks of the price-to-sales ratio, price-earnings ratio, enterprise-value-to-EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) ratio, shareholder yield, price-to-book-value ratio and price-to-free-cash-flow ratio. The score is variable, meaning it can consider all six ratios or, should any of the six ratios not be valid, the remaining ratios that are valid. To be assigned a Value Score, stocks must have a valid (non-null) ratio and corresponding ranking for at least two of the six valuation ratios.

What Goes Into AAII’s Value Grade?

Stock evaluation requires access to huge amounts of data as well as the knowledge and time to sift through it all, make sense of financial ratios, read income statements and analyze recent stock movement. AAII created A+ Investor, a robust data suite that condenses data research in an actionable and customizable way suitable for investors of all knowledge levels, to help investors with that task.

AAII’s proprietary stock grades come with A+ Investor. These offer intuitive A–F grades for more than just value. It is possible for a stock to appear cheap based on one valuation metric but appear expensive on another. It is also possible for one valuation ratio to be associated with outperforming stocks during certain periods of time but not others. Some stocks may even have null values for certain metrics like the price-earnings ratio or the price-to-book ratio but not others. An example of this would be a company with losses instead of profits or a negative book value because of heavy borrowing. Negative earnings or book value result in non-meaningful ratios that are left blank or null.

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5 Undervalued Pharmaceuticals Stocks

Of course, there are countless value stocks that are worth mentioning, but this is a concise list of the top 5 undervalued stocks in the Pharmaceuticals industry for Friday, December 22, 2023. Let’s take a closer look at their individual scores to see how they measure up against each other and the Pharmaceuticals industry median.

The Value Grade is assigned based on how each stock’s composite valuation compares to all other stocks.

The process for assigning grades starts with each variable for a given stock. The percentile rankings for all valid ratios that a stock has are calculated. So, for instance, a stock could have a price-to-book ranking in the 43rd percentile, a price-earnings ranking in the 67th percentile, a price-to-sales ranking in the 23rd percentile, etc. Then, those rankings are averaged for each stock. (A minimum of two valid variables are required, though all six will be used if available.)

Once the average of the individual variables is calculated, that average is ranked against all stocks. Put another way, each stock’s composite valuation is compared to all other stocks. These ranks are then sorted into quintiles from the cheapest 20% (a grade of A) to the most expensive 20% (a grade of F).

As always, we recommend that you conduct proper due diligence and research before investing in any security. We also suggest that investors utilize numerous grades, not just value, when it comes to deciding whether a company is a good fit for their allocation needs.

Cardinal Health Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Cardinal Health, Inc. is a global healthcare services and products company. The Company is engaged in providing customized solutions for hospitals, healthcare systems, pharmacies, ambulatory surgery centers, clinical laboratories, physician offices and patients in the home. The Company also provides pharmaceuticals and medical products and laboratory product solutions. The Company connects patients, providers, payers, pharmacists and manufacturers for integrated care coordination and better patient management. The Company's segments include Pharmaceutical and Medical. Its Pharmaceutical segment distributes branded and generic pharmaceuticals, specialty pharmaceuticals and over-the-counter healthcare and consumer products in the United States. Its Medical segment manufactures, sources and distributes Cardinal Health branded medical, surgical and laboratory products, which are sold in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia and other markets.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Cardinal Health Inc has a Value Score of 70, which is considered to be undervalued.

When you look at Cardinal Health Inc’s price-to-sales ratio at 0.12 compared to the industry median at 2.33, this company has a lower price relative to revenue compared to its peers. This could make Cardinal Health Inc’s stock more attractive for value investors.

Cardinal Health Inc’s price-earnings ratio is 166.47 compared to the industry median at 27.56. This means it has a higher share price relative to earnings compared to its peers. This could make Cardinal Health Inc less attractive for value investors.

Now, let’s assess Cardinal Health Inc’s EV/EBITDA ratio, also known as enterprise multiple. At 8.5, when compared to the industry median of 9.7, the company may be considered undervalued in relation to its peers. Value investors could use the enterprise multiple to identify stocks that are considered overvalued or undervalued relative to their industry.

Shareholder yield is the sum of a stock’s dividend yield (paid over previous 12 months minus special dividends) and the percentage of net share buybacks over the previous 12 months. Cardinal Health Inc’s shareholder yield is higher than its industry median ratio of (3.83%). Value investors may look for an attractive shareholder yield because it can be a powerful tool for identifying if the company has a good management team.

Lastly, let’s take a look at Cardinal Health Inc’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio (P/FCF), which can indicate a company’s market value relative to its operating cash flow. Cardinal Health Inc’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio is lower than its industry median ratio of 16.63. This could make Cardinal Health Inc more attractive because the lower P/FCF ratio indicates that Cardinal Health Inc is undervalued. The P/FCF ratio metric can also be viewed over a long-term time frame to see if the company's cash flow to share price value is generally improving or worsening.

Phibro Animal Health Corp’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Phibro Animal Health Corporation is a diversified animal health and mineral nutrition company. It develops, manufactures and markets a range of products for food and companion animals, including poultry, swine, beef and dairy cattle, aquaculture and dogs. It markets approximately 770 product lines in over 80 countries to approximately 4,000 customers. The Company has three segments. Animal Health segment develops, manufactures and markets about 270 product lines, including antibacterials, anticoccidials and related products; nutritional specialty products; and vaccines. Mineral Nutrition segment manufactures and markets approximately 420 formulations and concentrations of trace minerals, such as zinc, manganese, copper, iron and other compounds, with a focus on customers in North America. Performance Products segment manufactures and markets specialty ingredients for use in the personal care, industrial chemical and chemical catalyst industries, predominantly in the United States.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Phibro Animal Health Corp has a Value Score of 66, which is considered to be undervalued.

Phibro Animal Health Corp’s price-earnings ratio is 22.2 compared to the industry median at 27.6. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Phibro Animal Health Corp more attractive for value investors.

Phibro Animal Health Corp’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Phibro Animal Health Corp less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.79.

You can read more about Phibro Animal Health Corp’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

Medicine Man Technologies Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Medicine Man Technologies, Inc., operating as Schwazze, is a vertically integrated multi-state cannabis operator. The Company?s business involves the cultivation, manufacturing, distribution and retail sale of cannabis and cannabis-related products. The Company sells products it manufactures and cultivates and a variety of other cannabis goods through wholly owned retail stores, licensing arrangements, and/or third-party operators and retailers. The Company has three segments: Retail, Wholesale and Other. Retail segment consists of retail locations for the sale of cannabis products. The segment includes its Retail dispensaries located in Colorado and New Mexico. Wholesale segment consists of manufacturing, cultivation and sale of both wholesale cannabis and non-cannabis products. Other segment includes general corporate and other. It has operations in Colorado and New Mexico. It owns and operates 42 retail dispensaries, five cultivation facilities, and two manufacturing facilities.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Medicine Man Technologies Inc has a Value Score of 89, which is considered to be undervalued.

Medicine Man Technologies Inc’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Medicine Man Technologies Inc less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.79.

You can read more about Medicine Man Technologies Inc’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

Sonoma Pharmaceuticals Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Sonoma Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is engaged in developing and producing stabilized hypochlorous acid (HOCl), products for a range of applications, including wound care, animal health care, eye care, oral care and dermatological conditions. The Company's product offerings include Regenacyn Advanced Scar Gel, Regenacyn Plus Scar Gel, Rejuvacyn Advanced Skin Repair Cooling Mist, Pediacyn Skin Care, Microcyn, Ocucyn Eyelid and Eyelash Cleanser, Microdacyn60 Oral Care, Podiacyn Advanced Everyday Foot Care, and MicrocynAH. Regenacyn Advanced Scar Gel helps to improve the overall appearance of scars while reducing pain, itch, redness, and inflammation. Regenacyn Plus is a prescription-strength scar gel which is available as an office dispense product through dermatology practices and medical spas. Pediacyn is a pediatric dermatology and wound care product for over-the-counter use. MicrocynAH is a HOCl-based topical product that cleans, debrides and treats a range of animal wounds and infections.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Sonoma Pharmaceuticals Inc has a Value Score of 79, which is considered to be undervalued.

Sonoma Pharmaceuticals Inc’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Sonoma Pharmaceuticals Inc less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.79.

You can read more about Sonoma Pharmaceuticals Inc’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

Universe Pharmaceuticals Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Universe Pharmaceuticals Inc is a China-based holding company mainly engaged in the manufacturing, marketing, sales and distribution of traditional Chinese medicine derivatives (TCMD) products targeting the elderly. Through its subsidiary, the Company sells TCMD products, biomedical drugs, medical instruments, Traditional Chinese Medicine Pieces (TCMPs), and dietary supplements manufactured by third-party pharmaceutical companies. Its TCMD products fall into two categories: chronic condition treatments as well as cold and flu medications, including Guben Yanling Pill, Shenrong Weisheng Pill, Fengshitong Medicinal Liquor, Isatis Root Granule and Qiangli Pipa Syrup. Its major customers are pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, clinics and drugstore chains. The Company mainly conducts its businesses within the Chinese market.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Universe Pharmaceuticals Inc has a Value Score of 81, which is considered to be undervalued.

Universe Pharmaceuticals Inc’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Universe Pharmaceuticals Inc less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.79.

You can read more about Universe Pharmaceuticals Inc’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

Other Pharmaceuticals Stock Grades

Value is just one of the five Stock Grades included in our A+ Investor service. AAII members can see the top-graded stocks—those with grades of A or B for value, growth, momentum, earnings estimate revisions and quality—on the A+ Stock Grades Screener.

Also, if you want full access to all of AAII’s premium services, you can subscribe to one convenient bundled plan called AAII Platinum where you can try out A+ Investor, AAII Dividend Investing, the Stock Superstars Report, Growth Investing and VMQ Stocks. With the other premium services, you can dive deep into additional metrics, portfolios, commentary and information about Pharmaceuticals stocks as well as other industrys.

Choosing Which of the 5 Best Pharmaceuticals Stocks Is Right for You

Choosing which value stocks to invest in will ultimately depend on your individual goals and allocation; however, comparing similar value stocks in the same industry can help you analyze which might be better investments for you in the long run. So, let’s take a look at the Value Grade for all of our stocks.

• Cardinal Health Inc stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Phibro Animal Health Corp stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Medicine Man Technologies Inc stock has a Value Grade of A.
• Sonoma Pharmaceuticals Inc stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Universe Pharmaceuticals Inc stock has a Value Grade of A.

Now that you have a bit more background about each of the 5 undervalued stocks in the Pharmaceuticals industry as well as their overall grades, it’s time for you to conduct additional research to see if these could fit your portfolio needs based on your goals and risk tolerance. AAII can help you figure out both and identify which investments align with what works best for you.

We do so through a program of education that teaches you to invest for yourself and become an effective manager of your own wealth—no more relying on others for your financial independence. You can rely on AAII for timeless articles on financial planning and stock-picking, unbiased research and actionable analysis that makes you a better investor.

A+ Investor adds to that qualitative teaching by giving you a powerful data suite that helps you whittle down investment decisions to find stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or mutual funds that meet your needs.

Additional Resources About Pharmaceuticals Stocks

Want to learn more about Pharmaceuticals stocks to see if they could be the right investment for you? Check out some additional resources and articles to help you on your financial journey.

• 5 Undervalued Pharmaceuticals Stocks for Friday, December 22
• What You Need to Know About AbbVie Inc's Q3 Earnings
• What You Need to Know About Amgen, Inc.'s Q3 Earnings
• What You Need to Know About Amneal Pharmaceuticals Inc's Q3 Earnings

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