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 Investment Management & Fund Operators 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 Investment Management & Fund Operators 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.

Click the button below to learn more about A+ Investor and subscribe today.

5 Undervalued Investment Management & Fund Operators 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 Investment Management & Fund Operators industry for Wednesday, September 18, 2024. Let’s take a closer look at their individual scores to see how they measure up against each other and the Investment Management & Fund Operators 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.

Franklin Resources Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Franklin Resources, Inc. is a global investment management company with subsidiaries operating as Franklin Templeton and serving clients in over 150 countries. It offers specialization on a global scale, bringing capabilities in fixed income, equity, alternatives and multi-asset solutions. The Company provides its investment management and related services to retail, institutional and high-net-worth investors in jurisdictions worldwide. Its investment products include sponsored funds, as well as institutional and high-net-worth separate accounts, retail separately managed account programs, sub-advised products, and other investment vehicles. Its funds include registered funds (including exchange-traded funds or ETFs) and unregistered funds. The Company offers its services and products under its various brand names, including Alcentra, K2, Benefit Street Partners, ClearBridge Investments, Martin Currie, O’Shaughnessy, and Lexington Partners. It also focuses on the retirement sector.

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.

Franklin Resources Inc has a Value Score of 62, which is considered to be undervalued.

When you look at Franklin Resources Inc’s price-to-sales ratio at 1.27 compared to the industry median at 3.57, this company has a lower price relative to revenue compared to its peers. This could make Franklin Resources Inc’s stock more attractive for value investors.

Franklin Resources Inc’s price-earnings ratio is 12.71 compared to the industry median at 15.04. This means it has a lower share price relative to earnings compared to its peers. This could make Franklin Resources Inc more attractive for value investors.

Now, let’s assess Franklin Resources Inc’s EV/EBITDA ratio, also known as enterprise multiple. At 11.9, when compared to the industry median of 16.3, 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. Franklin Resources Inc’s shareholder yield is lower than its industry median ratio of 2.32%. 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. Franklin Resources Inc’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its industry median ratio of 1.09. This could make Franklin Resources Inc more attractive to investors looking for a new addition to their portfolio.

Lastly, let’s take a look at Franklin Resources Inc’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio (P/FCF), which can indicate a company’s market value relative to its operating cash flow. Franklin Resources Inc’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio is higher than its industry median ratio of 16.96. This could make Franklin Resources Inc less attractive because the higher P/FCF ratio indicates that Franklin Resources 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.

Heritage Global Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Heritage Global Inc. is an asset services company specializing in financial and industrial asset transactions. The Company provides a full suite of services, including market making, acquisitions, refurbishment, dispositions, valuations and secured lending. The Company segments include Industrial Assets Division and Financial Assets Division. Industrial Assets Division includes Auction and Liquidation, which operates a global full-service auction, appraisal and asset advisory firm, including the acquisition of turnkey manufacturing facilities and used industrial machinery and equipment, and Refurbishment & Resale, which acquire, refurbish and supply specialized laboratory equipment. Financial Assets Division includes Brokerage, which charges-off receivables in the United States and Canada on behalf of lenders including banks, mortgage companies, and auto and alternative lending sources, and Specialty Lending, which provides specialty financing solutions to investors.

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.

Heritage Global Inc has a Value Score of 90, which is considered to be undervalued.

Heritage Global Inc’s price-earnings ratio is 5.6 compared to the industry median at 15.0. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Heritage Global Inc more attractive for value investors.

Heritage Global Inc’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Heritage Global Inc less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.09.

You can read more about Heritage Global 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.

Hennessy Advisors Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Hennessy Advisors, Inc. is an investment management company. The Company provides investment advisory services to 16 open-end mutual funds and one exchange-traded fund (ETF) branded as the Hennessy Funds. The Company serves as the investment advisor to all classes of the Hennessy Cornerstone Growth Fund, the Hennessy Focus Fund, the Hennessy Cornerstone Mid Cap 30 Fund, the Hennessy Cornerstone Large Growth Fund, the Hennessy Cornerstone Value Fund, the Hennessy Total Return Fund, the Hennessy Equity and Income Fund, the Hennessy Balanced Fund, the Hennessy Energy Transition Fund, the Hennessy Midstream Fund, the Hennessy Gas Utility Fund, the Hennessy Japan Fund, the Hennessy Japan Small Cap Fund, the Hennessy Large Cap Financial Fund, the Hennessy Small Cap Financial Fund, and the Hennessy Technology Fund (collectively, the Hennessy Mutual Funds), as well as to the Hennessy Stance ESG ETF. The Company also provides shareholder services to investors in the Hennessy Mutual Funds.

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.

Hennessy Advisors Inc has a Value Score of 76, which is considered to be undervalued.

Hennessy Advisors Inc’s price-earnings ratio is 12.7 compared to the industry median at 15.0. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Hennessy Advisors Inc more attractive for value investors.

Hennessy Advisors Inc’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Hennessy Advisors Inc less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.09.

You can read more about Hennessy Advisors 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.

Regency Affiliates Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Regency Affiliates, Inc. invests in assets that generate predictable and sustainable returns on capital. The Company’s objective is to generate long-term value for its shareholders. Its management seeks sound investment opportunities to meet its business characteristics and valuation criteria. The Company holds a limited partnership interest in Security Land and Development Company Limited Partnership (Security Land), which owns and operates 34.3 acres of land and rental property of approximately 717,000 square feet in Woodlawn, Maryland. Its wholly owned subsidiary is RSS Investments LLC (RSS). RSS acquired majority ownership (80%) of SSCP Harrisburg Holdings, LLC (Harrisburg Holdings). Harrisburg Holdings is the sole member of SSCP Harrisburg Intermediate Holdings, LLC. Through its controlling interest of SSCP Harrisburg Holdings, LLC, it is focused on the ownership, operation, and acquisition of self-storage properties located within the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania area.

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.

Regency Affiliates Inc has a Value Score of 61, which is considered to be undervalued.

Regency Affiliates Inc’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Regency Affiliates Inc less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.09.

You can read more about Regency Affiliates 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.

Teton Advisors Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Teton Advisors, Inc. is an investment management company. The Company is engaged in investing and serving a diverse client base of institutional, high net worth and mutual fund investors under brands including TETON, TETON Westwood, Gabelli and Keeley. The Company operates through its investment advisory and asset management business segment. The Company serves as an investment advisor and the investment manager for the TETON Westwood Funds (Funds), over five funds with assets under management (AUM). The Funds include TETON Westwood Mighty Mites Fund, TETON Westwood SmallCap Equity Fund, TETON Westwood Equity Fund, TETON Westwood Balanced Fund and TETON Convertible Securities Fund. The Company, through its subsidiaries, provides investment advisory services to open-end funds and separate client accounts. The Company conducts investment advisory business principally through two subsidiaries: Keeley-Teton Advisors, LLC (Keeley-Teton, LLC) and Teton Advisors, LLC (Teton, LLC).

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.

Teton Advisors Inc has a Value Score of 72, which is considered to be undervalued.

Teton Advisors Inc’s price-earnings ratio is 20.6 compared to the industry median at 15.0. This means that it has a higher price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Teton Advisors Inc less attractive for value investors.

Teton Advisors Inc’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Teton Advisors Inc less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.09.

You can read more about Teton Advisors 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 Investment Management & Fund Operators 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 Investment Management & Fund Operators stocks as well as other industrys.

Choosing Which of the 5 Best Investment Management & Fund Operators 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.

• Franklin Resources Inc stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Heritage Global Inc stock has a Value Grade of A.
• Hennessy Advisors Inc stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Regency Affiliates Inc stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Teton Advisors Inc stock has a Value Grade of B.

Now that you have a bit more background about each of the 5 undervalued stocks in the Investment Management & Fund Operators 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 Investment Management & Fund Operators Stocks

Want to learn more about Investment Management & Fund Operators 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 Investment Management & Fund Operators Stocks for Wednesday, September 18
• 3 Undervalued Investment Management & Fund Operators Stocks for Tuesday, September 17
• 5 Undervalued Investment Management & Fund Operators Stocks for Monday, September 16
• Why Triplepoint Venture Growth BDC Corp’s (TPVG) Stock Is Down 6.08%

AAII Disclaimer

We make no representations or warranties that any investor will, or is likely to, achieve profits similar to those shown, because past, hypothetical or simulated performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. Before making an investment decision, you should consider your circumstances and whether the information on our content is applicable to your situation. This information was prepared in good faith and we accept no liability for any errors or omissions. The full disclaimer can be read here.