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 Financial Services 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 Financial Services 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 Financial Services 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 Financial Services industry for Thursday, October 10, 2024. Let’s take a closer look at their individual scores to see how they measure up against each other and the Financial Services 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.

Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation provides a secondary market for various loans made to borrowers in the United States. It operates through four segments: Corporate AgFinance, Farm & Ranch, Rural Utilities, and Renewable Energy. The company’s Agricultural Finance line of business engages in purchasing and retaining eligible loans and securities; guaranteeing the payment of principal and interest on securities that represent interests in or obligations secured by pools of eligible loans; servicing eligible loans; and issuing LTSPCs for eligible loans. Its Rural Infrastructure Finance line of business is involved in the purchase of rural utilities loans and renewable energy loans and guarantees of securities backed by loans, as well as LTSPCs for pools of eligible rural utilities loans; by loans for electric or telecommunications facilities by lenders organized as cooperatives to borrowers; and other financial institutions that are secured by pools of eligible loans. Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation was incorporated in 1987 and is headquartered in Washington, the District of Columbia.

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.

Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation has a Value Score of 68, which is considered to be undervalued.

When you look at Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation’s price-to-sales ratio at 5.55 compared to the industry median at 2.56, this company has a higher price relative to revenue compared to its peers. This could make Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation’s stock less attractive for value investors.

Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation’s price-earnings ratio is 11.20 compared to the industry median at 16.60. This means it has a lower share price relative to earnings compared to its peers. This could make Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation more attractive for value investors.

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. Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation’s shareholder yield is higher than its industry median ratio of 0.80%. 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. Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its industry median ratio of 1.46. This could make Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation more attractive to investors looking for a new addition to their portfolio.

Lastly, let’s take a look at Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio (P/FCF), which can indicate a company’s market value relative to its operating cash flow. Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio is lower than its industry median ratio of 13.80. This could make Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation more attractive because the lower P/FCF ratio indicates that Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation 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.

Cannae Holdings, Inc.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Cannae Holdings, Inc. is a principal investment firm. The firm primarily invests in restaurants, technology enabled healthcare services, financial services and more. It takes both minority and majority stakes. Cannae Holdings, Inc. was founded in 2014 and is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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.

Cannae Holdings, Inc. has a Value Score of 91, which is considered to be undervalued.

Cannae Holdings, Inc.’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Cannae Holdings, Inc. less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.46.

You can read more about Cannae Holdings, 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.

Finance of America Companies Inc.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Finance of America Companies Inc. a financial service holding company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the operation of a retirement solutions platform in the United States. It operates through two segments: Retirement Solutions and Portfolio Management. The Retirement Solutions segment engages in the loan origination activities comprising home equity conversion, proprietary reverse, and hybrid mortgage loans for senior homeowners. The Portfolio Management segment provides product development, loan securitization, loan sales, risk management, servicing oversight, and asset management services for borrowers and investors. The company was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in Plano, Texas.

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.

Finance of America Companies Inc. has a Value Score of 87, which is considered to be undervalued.

Finance of America Companies Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 7.7 compared to the industry median at 16.6. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Finance of America Companies Inc. more attractive for value investors.

Finance of America Companies Inc.’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Finance of America Companies Inc. less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.46.

You can read more about Finance of America Companies 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.

NMI Holdings, Inc.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

NMI Holdings, Inc. provides private mortgage guaranty insurance services in the United States. The company offers mortgage insurance services, such as primary and pool insurance; and outsourced loan review services to mortgage loan originators. It serves national and regional mortgage banks, money center banks, credit unions, community banks, builder-owned mortgage lenders, internet-sourced lenders, and other non-bank lenders. The company was incorporated in 2011 and is headquartered in Emeryville, California.

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.

NMI Holdings, Inc. has a Value Score of 73, which is considered to be undervalued.

NMI Holdings, Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 9.7 compared to the industry median at 16.6. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes NMI Holdings, Inc. more attractive for value investors.

NMI Holdings, Inc.’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make NMI Holdings, Inc. more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.46.

You can read more about NMI Holdings, 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.

PagSeguro Digital Ltd.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

PagSeguro Digital Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of financial and payment solutions for consumers, individual entrepreneurs, micro-merchants, and small and medium-sized companies in Brazil and internationally. It provides digital banking solutions, including deposits, top-ups, debt management services, tax collections, wire transfers, ATM withdrawals, and various online and point-of-sale (POS) payment solutions; cards, such as debit, credit, cash, and prepaid cards; and credit products comprising FGTS withdrawals, payroll loans, working capital loans, and overdraft accounts. The company also offers insurance services, including account, card, home, business, health assistance, life, and credit life insurance; investment services, such as investment and portfolio advisory, financial education, brokerage, fund management, treasury, and research services; and operates Shopping PagBank, a marketplace for various brands. In addition, it provides software solutions comprising PagVendas, a POS software app; ClubPag, a marketing tool that allows merchants to advertise across client base, available for POS devices; PlugPag, a wireless solution that connects the machine to the commercial automation system, via Bluetooth technology; and Envio Fácil, a logistics solution for online sales, which helps merchants in simulating, comparing, and choosing the best price to send customers products. The company was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil.

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.

PagSeguro Digital Ltd. has a Value Score of 100, which is considered to be undervalued.

PagSeguro Digital Ltd.’s price-earnings ratio is 7.7 compared to the industry median at 16.6. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes PagSeguro Digital Ltd. more attractive for value investors.

PagSeguro Digital Ltd.’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make PagSeguro Digital Ltd. less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.46.

You can read more about PagSeguro Digital 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.

Waterstone Financial, Inc.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Waterstone Financial, Inc. operates as a bank holding company for WaterStone Bank SSB that provides various financial services to customers in southeastern Wisconsin, the United States. It operates in two segments, Community Banking and Mortgage Banking. The Community Banking segment offers consumer and business banking products and services, such as deposit and transactional solutions, including checking accounts, online banking and bill pay services, money transfer services, as well as credit, debit, and pre-paid cards; investable funds solutions comprising savings, money market deposits, individual retirement accounts, and certificates of deposit; residential mortgages, home equity loans and lines of credit, personal and installment loans, real estate financing, business loans, and business lines of credit; and fixed and variable annuities, insurance products, and trust and investment management accounts. It also provides transaction deposits, interest bearing transaction accounts, demand deposits, non-interest-bearing demand accounts, and time deposits; secured and unsecured lines; commercial real estate construction loans; term loans for working capital, inventory, and general corporate use; and personal term loans and investment services. The Mortgage Banking segment offers residential mortgage loans for the purpose of sale in the secondary market. It also invests in a portfolio of securities include mortgage-backed securities, government-sponsored and private-label enterprise bonds, collateralized mortgage and municipal obligations, and other debt securities. The company was formerly known as Wauwatosa Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to Waterstone Financial, Inc. in August 2008. The company was founded in 1921 and is based in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin.

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.

Waterstone Financial, Inc. has a Value Score of 78, which is considered to be undervalued.

Waterstone Financial, Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 22.3 compared to the industry median at 16.6. This means that it has a higher price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Waterstone Financial, Inc. less attractive for value investors.

Waterstone Financial, Inc.’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Waterstone Financial, Inc. less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.46.

You can read more about Waterstone Financial, 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.

The Western Union Company’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

The Western Union Company provides money movement and payment services worldwide. The company operates through Consumer Money Transfer and Consumer Services segments. The Consumer Money Transfer segment facilitates money transfers for international cross-border and intra-country transfers, primarily through a network of retail agent locations, as well as through websites and mobile devices. The Consumer Services segments offers bill payment services, which facilitate payments for consumers, businesses, and other organizations, as well as money order services, retail foreign exchange services, prepaid cards, lending partnerships, and digital wallets. The company was founded in 1851 and is headquartered in Denver, Colorado.

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.

The Western Union Company has a Value Score of 79, which is considered to be undervalued.

The Western Union Company’s price-earnings ratio is 7.1 compared to the industry median at 16.6. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes The Western Union Company more attractive for value investors.

The Western Union Company’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make The Western Union Company more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.46.

You can read more about The Western Union Company’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 Financial Services 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 Financial Services stocks as well as other industrys.

Choosing Which of the 7 Best Financial Services 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.

• Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Cannae Holdings, Inc. stock has a Value Grade of A.
• Finance of America Companies Inc. stock has a Value Grade of A.
• NMI Holdings, Inc. stock has a Value Grade of B.
• PagSeguro Digital Ltd. stock has a Value Grade of A.
• Waterstone Financial, Inc. stock has a Value Grade of B.
• The Western Union Company stock has a Value Grade of B.

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

Want to learn more about Financial Services 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 Financial Services Stocks for Thursday, October 10
• 7 Undervalued Financial Services Stocks for Wednesday, October 09
• 4 Undervalued Financial Services Stocks for Tuesday, October 08
• 5 Undervalued Financial Services Stocks for Monday, October 07

AAII Disclaimer

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