4 Undervalued Food Products Stocks for Friday, October 18

By Jenna Brashear
October 18, 2024
Diamond graphic indicating best value stocks in their industry
Featured Tickers:
BHIL DAR FARM NOMD

Based on key financial metrics such as the price-to-sales ratio, shareholder yield and the price-earnings ratio, the following 4 stocks made the list for top value stocks in the Food Products 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 Products 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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4 Undervalued Food Products Stocks

Of course, there are countless value stocks that are worth mentioning, but this is a concise list of the top 4 undervalued stocks in the Food Products industry for Friday, October 18, 2024. Let’s take a closer look at their individual scores to see how they measure up against each other and the Food Products industry median.

Company Ticker Price/Sales Price/Earnings EV/EBITDA Shareholder Yield Price/Book Value Price/Free Cash Flow Value Grade
Benson Hill, Inc. BHIL 0.08 na na (2.5%) 0.45 na A
Darling Ingredients Inc. DAR 0.97 16.3 11.3 0.0% 1.27 15.2 B
Farmer Bros. Co. FARM 0.12 na na (3.5%) 0.90 na B
Nomad Foods Limited NOMD 1.00 13.3 10.0 11.2% 1.09 11.1 A

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.

Benson Hill, Inc.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score BHIL Industry Median
Price/Sales 4 0.08 0.93
Price/Earnings na na 20.7
EV/EBITDA na na 12.9
Shareholder Yield 68 (2.5%) 0.0%
Price/Book Value 12 0.45 1.68
Price/Free Cash Flow na na 19.1

Benson Hill, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a food technology company that unlocks natural genetic diversity of plants. It operates in two segments, Ingredients and Fresh. The company offers CropOS, a technology platform, which uses artificial intelligence, data, and various advanced breeding techniques that combine data, plant, and food sciences to deliver crops optimized for food, ingredient, and feed products. The company’s technology is applied in soybeans and yellow peas. It focuses on growing, packing, and selling fresh produce products to retail and food service customers. The company was formerly known as Benson Hill Biosystems, Inc. Benson Hill, Inc. was incorporated in 2012 and is headquartered in Saint Louis, Missouri.

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.

Benson Hill, Inc. has a Value Score of 87, which is considered to be undervalued.

When you look at Benson Hill, Inc.’s price-to-sales ratio at 0.08 compared to the industry median at 0.93, this company has a lower price relative to revenue compared to its peers. This could make Benson Hill, Inc.’s stock 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. Benson Hill, Inc.’s shareholder yield is lower 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. Benson Hill, Inc.’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its industry median ratio of 1.68. This could make Benson Hill, Inc. more attractive to investors looking for a new addition to their portfolio.

Darling Ingredients Inc.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score DAR Industry Median
Price/Sales 32 0.97 0.93
Price/Earnings 41 16.3 20.7
EV/EBITDA 45 11.3 12.9
Shareholder Yield 50 0.0% 0.0%
Price/Book Value 40 1.27 1.68
Price/Free Cash Flow 38 15.2 19.1

Darling Ingredients Inc. develops, produces, and sells natural ingredients from edible and inedible bio-nutrients in North America, Europe, China, South America, and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Feed Ingredients, Food Ingredients, and Fuel Ingredients. It offers ingredients and customized specialty solutions for customers in the pharmaceutical, food, pet food, feed, industrial, fuel, bioenergy, and fertilizer industries. The company also collects and transforms various animal by-product streams into useable and specialty ingredients, such as collagen, edible fats, feed-grade fats, animal proteins and meals, plasma, pet food ingredients, organic fertilizers, yellow grease, fuel feedstock, green energy, natural casings, and hides. In addition, it recovers and converts used cooking oil and animal fats, and residual bakery products into valuable feed and fuel ingredients. Further, the company provides environmental services, including grease trap collection and disposal services to food service establishments. It primarily operates under the Rendac, Sonac, FASA, Ecoson, Rousselot, Gelnex, and CTH brand names. The company was formerly known as Darling International Inc. and changed its name to Darling Ingredients Inc. in May 2014. Darling Ingredients Inc. was founded in 1882 and is headquartered in Irving, 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.

Darling Ingredients Inc. has a Value Score of 62, which is considered to be undervalued.

Darling Ingredients Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 16.3 compared to the industry median at 20.7. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Darling Ingredients Inc. more attractive for value investors.

Darling Ingredients Inc.’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Darling Ingredients Inc. less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.68.

You can read more about Darling Ingredients 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.

Farmer Bros. Co.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score FARM Industry Median
Price/Sales 5 0.12 0.93
Price/Earnings na na 20.7
EV/EBITDA na na 12.9
Shareholder Yield 71 (3.5%) 0.0%
Price/Book Value 27 0.90 1.68
Price/Free Cash Flow na na 19.1

Farmer Bros. Co. engages in the roasting, wholesale, equipment servicing, and distribution of coffee, tea, and other allied products in the United States. The company offers roast and ground coffee; frozen liquid coffee; ambient liquid; flavoured and unflavoured iced and hot teas; culinary products, including spices, pancake and biscuit mixes, gravy and sauce mixes, soup bases, dressings, and syrups and sauces, as well as coffee filters, cups, sugar, and creamers; and other beverages comprising cappuccino, cocoa, granitas, and other blender-based beverages and concentrated and ready-to-drink cold brew and iced coffee under the Farmer Brothers, Artisan Collection by Farmer Brothers, Metropolitan, China Mist, Cain's, McGarvey, Boyds, and WEST COAST COFFEE brand names. It also involved in the installation, repair, and refurbishment services for an array of coffee, tea, and juice equipment. The company serves small independent restaurants, foodservice operators, and large institutional buyers and national account customers, such as restaurant, department and convenience store chains, hotels, casinos, healthcare facilities, and gourmet coffee houses, as well as retails with private brand and consumer-branded coffee and tea products, foodservice distributors, and consumers through e-commerce channel. It distributes its products through direct-store-delivery network, and common carriers or third-party distributors. The company was founded in 1912 and is headquartered in Fort Worth, 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.

Farmer Bros. Co. has a Value Score of 76, 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 1.68.

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.

Nomad Foods Limited’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score NOMD Industry Median
Price/Sales 32 1.00 0.93
Price/Earnings 31 13.3 20.7
EV/EBITDA 39 10.0 12.9
Shareholder Yield 4 11.2% 0.0%
Price/Book Value 34 1.09 1.68
Price/Free Cash Flow 27 11.1 19.1

Nomad Foods Limited, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, markets, and distributes a range of frozen food products in the United Kingdom and internationally. The company offers frozen fish products, including fish fingers, coated fish, and natural fish; ready-to-cook vegetable products, such as peas and spinach; and frozen poultry and meat products comprising nuggets, grills, and burgers. It also provides meal products that include ready-to-cook noodles, pasta, lasagna, pancakes, and other ready-made meals; ice creams, such as in-home and out-of-home ice creams; and other products consisting of soups, pizzas, bakery goods, and meat substitutes. The company sells its products to supermarkets and food retail chains primarily under the Birds Eye, Green Cuisine, iglo, Findus, Aunt Bessie's, Goodfella's, Frikom, Ledo, La Cocinera, and Belviva brand names. Nomad Foods Limited was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in Feltham, the United Kingdom.

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.

Nomad Foods Limited has a Value Score of 87, which is considered to be undervalued.

Nomad Foods Limited’s price-earnings ratio is 13.3 compared to the industry median at 20.7. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Nomad Foods Limited more attractive for value investors.

Nomad Foods Limited’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Nomad Foods Limited less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.68.

You can read more about Nomad Foods Limited’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.

Learn More About A+ Investor

Other Food Products 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 Products stocks as well as other industrys.

Choosing Which of the 4 Best Food Products 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.

  • Benson Hill, Inc. stock has a Value Grade of A.
  • Darling Ingredients Inc. stock has a Value Grade of B.
  • Farmer Bros. Co. stock has a Value Grade of B.
  • Nomad Foods Limited stock has a Value Grade of A.

Now that you have a bit more background about each of the 4 undervalued stocks in the Food Products 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.

Learn More About A+ Investor

Additional Resources About Food Products Stocks

Want to learn more about Food Products 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.

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.



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