Based on key financial metrics such as the price-to-sales ratio, shareholder yield and the price-earnings ratio, the following 7 stocks made the list for top value stocks in the Food Processing 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.

Why Focus on Undervalued Food Processing 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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7 Undervalued Food Processing Stocks

Of course, there are countless value stocks that are worth mentioning, but this is a concise list of the top 7 undervalued stocks in the Food Processing industry for Monday, May 20, 2024. Let’s take a closer look at their individual scores to see how they measure up against each other and the Food Processing 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.

Darling Ingredients Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Darling Ingredients Inc. develops and produces sustainable natural ingredients from edible and inedible bio-nutrients, creating a range of ingredients and customized specialty solutions for customers in the pharmaceutical, food, pet food, animal feed, industrial, fuel, bioenergy and fertilizer industries. Its segments include Feed Ingredients, Food Ingredients and Fuel Ingredients. Feed Ingredients operating segment includes its global activities related to the collection and processing of beef, poultry and pork animal by-products in North America, Europe and South America into non-food grade oils and protein meals, and others. Food Ingredients operating segment includes its global activities related to the purchase and processing of beef and pork bone chips, beef hides, pig skins, and fish skins into collagen, and others. Fuel Ingredients operating segment includes its global activities related to the conversion of organic sludge and food waste into biogas in Europe, and others.

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.

Darling Ingredients Inc has a Value Score of 61, which is considered to be undervalued.

When you look at Darling Ingredients Inc’s price-to-sales ratio at 1.08 compared to the industry median at 0.94, this company has a higher price relative to revenue compared to its peers. This could make Darling Ingredients Inc’s stock less attractive for value investors.

Darling Ingredients Inc’s price-earnings ratio is 12.97 compared to the industry median at 18.40. This means it has a lower share price relative to earnings compared to its peers. This could make Darling Ingredients Inc more attractive for value investors.

Now, let’s assess Darling Ingredients Inc’s EV/EBITDA ratio, also known as enterprise multiple. At 12.1, when compared to the industry median of 11.8, the company may be considered overvalued 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. Darling Ingredients Inc’s shareholder yield is higher than its industry median ratio of 0.00%. 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.

As one of the most common value metrics, the price-to-book ratio evaluates a company’s current market price relative to its book value. Darling Ingredients Inc’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its industry median ratio of 2.12. This could make Darling Ingredients Inc more attractive to investors looking for a new addition to their portfolio.

Lastly, let’s take a look at Darling Ingredients Inc’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio (P/FCF), which can indicate a company’s market value relative to its operating cash flow. Darling Ingredients Inc’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio is lower than its industry median ratio of 21.48. This could make Darling Ingredients Inc more attractive because the lower P/FCF ratio indicates that Darling Ingredients 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.

Farmer Bros Co’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Farmer Bros. Co. is a coffee roaster, wholesaler and distributor of coffee, tea and culinary products. It serves a range of customers, including small independent restaurants, foodservice operators and large institutional buyers, such as restaurants, department and convenience store chains, hotels, casinos, healthcare facilities and gourmet coffee houses, as well as grocery chains with private brand and consumer-branded coffee and tea products, and foodservice distributors. It offers a robust product line, including organic, Direct Trade, Project D.I.R.E.C.T. and other sustainably produced coffees, iced and hot teas, cappuccino, spices, and baking/biscuit mixes, among others. It also offers value-added services, such as market insight, beverage planning, and equipment placement and service. Its owned brand products are sold primarily into the foodservice channel. Its brands include Farmer Brothers, Artisan Collection by Farmer Brothers, Superior, Metropolitan, China Mist and Boyds.

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.

Farmer Bros Co has a Value Score of 63, which is considered to be undervalued.

Farmer Bros Co’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Farmer Bros Co less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 2.12.

You can read more about Farmer Bros Co’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.

Whole Earth Brands Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Whole Earth Brands, Inc. is a global food company. The Company is enabling healthier lifestyles and providing access to quality plant-based sweeteners, flavor enhancers and other foods through its diverse portfolio of trusted brands and delicious products. The Company operates through two segments: Branded CPG and Flavors & Ingredients. The Branded CPG segment is comprised of its Merisant division of operating companies, Wholesome and Swerve. The Branded CPG products are sold under both its flagship brands, as well as local and private label brands. Its global flagship brands include Whole Earth, Pure Via, Wholesome, Swerve, Canderel, Equal and existing branded adjacencies. The Flavors & Ingredients segment products provide a variety of solutions for its customers, including flavor enhancement, flavor / aftertaste masking, moisturizing, product mouthfeel modification and skin soothing characteristics. Its Flavors & Ingredients segment operates its licorice-derived products business.

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.

Whole Earth Brands Inc has a Value Score of 71, which is considered to be undervalued.

Whole Earth Brands Inc’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Whole Earth Brands Inc less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 2.12.

You can read more about Whole Earth Brands 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.

Paranovus Entertainment Technology Ltd’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Paranovus Entertainment Technology Ltd, formerly Happiness Development Group Ltd, is a company mainly engaged in the production of nutritional products. The Company's main businesses are the research and development, manufacturing and sales of nutritional products made from traditional Chinese medicine and animal extracts. The Company's main products include spore powder, cordyceps mycelium products, donkey-hide gelatin solution products, vitamins and dietary supplement products, American ginseng products and other nutrition products. The Company also engages in e-commerce and auto sales through the platforms Happy Buy and Taochejun.

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.

Paranovus Entertainment Technology Ltd has a Value Score of 71, which is considered to be undervalued.

Paranovus Entertainment Technology Ltd’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Paranovus Entertainment Technology Ltd less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 2.12.

You can read more about Paranovus Entertainment Technology Ltd’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.

Real Good Food Company Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

The Real Good Food Company, Inc. is a frozen food company. The Company develops, markets, and manufactures foods designed to be high in protein, low in sugar, and made from gluten-and grain-free ingredients that are intended to be sold in the health and wellness (H&W;) segment of the frozen food category. It offers nutritious options across breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacking occasions, which are available in approximately 15,000 stores nationwide, and directly from its website at www.realgoodfoods.com. Its branded products are sold to consumers through an increasing number of locations in retail channels, primarily in natural and conventional grocery, drug, club, and mass merchandise stores, including Walmart, Kroger, and Costco. It produces and sells entrees, bowls, breakfast sandwiches, enchiladas, other H&W; products and snacks within the frozen food category. Its craveable products are offered in ready-to-heat and ready-to-cook formats for consumers to prepare.

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.

Real Good Food Company Inc has a Value Score of 80, which is considered to be undervalued.

Real Good Food Company Inc’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Real Good Food Company Inc less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 2.12.

You can read more about Real Good Food Company 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.

Seneca Foods Corp’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Seneca Foods Corporation is a provider of packaged fruits and vegetables, with facilities located throughout the United States. The Company operates its business through three segments: fruits and vegetables, prepared food products, and snack products. Its other category comprises non-food packaging sales, which relate to the sale of cans, ends, seed, and its trucking and aircraft operations. The Company’s principal product offerings include canned, frozen, and bottled produce and snack chips. It also sells canned vegetables, frozen vegetables, jarred fruit, and other food products. Its products are sold under private label as well as under national and regional brands that the Company owns or licenses, including Seneca, Libby’s, Aunt Nellies, Cherryman, Green Valley, and READ. The Company’s products are sold by grocery outlets, including supermarkets, mass merchandisers, limited assortment stores, club stores, and dollar stores.

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.

Seneca Foods Corp has a Value Score of 92, which is considered to be undervalued.

Seneca Foods Corp’s price-earnings ratio is 14.1 compared to the industry median at 18.4. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Seneca Foods Corp more attractive for value investors.

Seneca Foods Corp’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Seneca Foods Corp less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 2.12.

You can read more about Seneca Foods 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.

Tyson Foods Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Tyson Foods, Inc. is a food company. The Company has a broad portfolio of products and brands, such as Tyson, Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Ball Park, Wright, Aidells, ibp and State Fair. Its segments include beef, pork, chicken and prepared foods. Beef segment includes its operations related to processing live fed cattle and fabricating dressed beef carcasses into primal and sub-primal meat cuts and case-ready products. Pork segment includes its operations related to processing live market hogs and fabricating pork carcasses into primal and sub-primal cuts and case-ready products. Chicken segment includes its domestic operations related to raising and processing live chickens into, and purchasing raw materials for fresh, frozen and value-added chicken products and sales from specialty products. Prepared foods segment includes its operations related to manufacturing and marketing frozen and refrigerated food products and logistics operations to move products through the supply chain.

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.

Tyson Foods Inc has a Value Score of 77, which is considered to be undervalued.

Tyson Foods Inc’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Tyson Foods Inc less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 2.12.

You can read more about Tyson Foods 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 Food Processing 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 Food Processing stocks as well as other industrys.

Choosing Which of the 7 Best Food Processing 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.

• Darling Ingredients Inc stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Farmer Bros Co stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Whole Earth Brands Inc stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Paranovus Entertainment Technology Ltd stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Real Good Food Company Inc stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Seneca Foods Corp stock has a Value Grade of A.
• Tyson Foods Inc stock has a Value Grade of B.

Now that you have a bit more background about each of the 7 undervalued stocks in the Food Processing 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 Food Processing Stocks

Want to learn more about Food Processing 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.

• 7 Undervalued Food Processing Stocks for Monday, May 20
• 6 Undervalued Food Processing Stocks for Friday, May 17
• Why Adecoagro SA’s (AGRO) Stock Is Down 5.15%
• Why Flowers Foods Inc’s (FLO) Stock Is Down 4.08%

AAII Disclaimer

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