4 Undervalued Pharmaceuticals Stocks for Wednesday, January 18

By Jenna Brashear
January 18, 2023
Diamond graphic indicating best value stocks in their industry
Featured Tickers:
BFRI ENDPQ PETQ PFE

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 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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4 Undervalued Pharmaceuticals 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 Pharmaceuticals industry for Wednesday, January 18, 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.

Company Ticker Price/Sales Price/Earnings EV/EBITDA Shareholder Yield Price/Book Value Price/Free Cash Flow Value Grade
Biofrontera Inc BFRI 0.82 na 0.3 (184.1%) 1.01 na B
Endo International PLC ENDPQ 0.01 na na (0.7%) na 1.7 A
PetIQ Inc PETQ 0.35 na 8.6 (1.0%) 1.52 na B
Pfizer Inc. PFE 2.59 8.7 7.0 3.6% 2.79 18.3 B

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.

Biofrontera Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score BFRI Industry Median
Price/Sales 28 0.82 3.25
Price/Earnings na na 20.1
EV/EBITDA 1 0.3 8.8
Shareholder Yield 98 (184.1%) (3.0%)
Price/Book Value 26 1.01 1.75
Price/Free Cash Flow na na 20.3

Biofrontera Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company. The Company is specialized in the commercialization of pharmaceutical products for the treatment of dermatological conditions for the diseases caused primarily by exposure to sunlight that result in sun damage to the skin. Its products focus on the treatment of actinic keratoses, which are skin lesions that lead to skin cancer. It also markets a topical antibiotic for treatment of impetigo, a bacterial skin infection. The Company’s principal product is Ameluz, which is a prescription drug for use in combination with its medical device, the BF-RhodoLED lamp, for photodynamic therapy (PDT) in the United States for the lesion-directed and field-directed treatment of actinic keratosis of mild-to-moderate severity on the face and scalp. The Company’s other product include Xepi for the treatment of impetigo, a common skin infection, due to Staphylococcus aureus or streptococcus pyogenes.

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.

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

When you look at Biofrontera Inc’s price-to-sales ratio at 0.82 compared to the industry median at 3.25, this company has a lower price relative to revenue compared to its peers. This could make Biofrontera Inc’s stock more attractive for value investors.

Now, let’s assess Biofrontera Inc’s EV/EBITDA ratio, also known as enterprise multiple. At 0.3, when compared to the industry median of 8.8, 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. Biofrontera Inc’s shareholder yield is lower than its industry median ratio of (3.05%). 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. Biofrontera Inc’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its industry median ratio of 1.75. This could make Biofrontera Inc more attractive to investors looking for a new addition to their portfolio.

Endo International PLC’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score ENDPQ Industry Median
Price/Sales 0 0.01 3.25
Price/Earnings na na 20.1
EV/EBITDA na na 8.8
Shareholder Yield 53 (0.7%) (3.0%)
Price/Book Value na na 1.75
Price/Free Cash Flow 3 1.7 20.3

Endo International plc is a specialty pharmaceutical company. The Company operates through four business segments: Branded Pharmaceuticals, Sterile Injectables, Generic Pharmaceuticals and International Pharmaceuticals. Its Branded Pharmaceuticals segment includes a variety of branded products in the areas of urology, orthopedics, endocrinology, medical aesthetics and bariatrics, among others. Its products include XIAFLEX, SUPPRELIN LA, NASCOBAL Nasal Spray, AVEED, QWO, PERCOCET, TESTOPEL, EDEX and LIDODERM, among others. Its Sterile Injectables segment consists of branded sterile injectable products such as VASOSTRICT, ADRENALIN and APLISOL, among others, and certain generic sterile injectable products, including ertapenem for injection and ephedrine sulfate injection. The Company's Generic Pharmaceuticals segment consists of a product portfolio, including solid oral extended-release, solid oral immediate-release, liquids, semi-solids, patches, powders, ophthalmic and sprays.

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.

Endo International PLC has a Value Score of 96, which is considered to be undervalued.

You can read more about Endo International PLC’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.

PetIQ Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score PETQ Industry Median
Price/Sales 12 0.35 3.25
Price/Earnings na na 20.1
EV/EBITDA 47 8.6 8.8
Shareholder Yield 57 (1.0%) (3.0%)
Price/Book Value 50 1.52 1.75
Price/Free Cash Flow na na 20.3

PetIQ, Inc. is a pet medication and wellness company, which delivers veterinary products and services. The Company is engaged with customers through approximately 60,000 points of distribution across retail and e-commerce channels with its branded and distributed medications, as well as health and wellness items, which are further supported by its medications manufacturing facility in Omaha, Nebraska and health and wellness manufacturing facility in Springville, Utah. Its national veterinarian service platform operates in approximately 2,900 retail partner locations in 42 states provides veterinary wellness services. The Company has two segments: Products and Services. The Products segment consists of its manufacturing and distribution businesses. The Services segment consists of veterinary services and related product sales provided by the Company directly to consumers. Its products offering for dogs and cats includes pet Rx medications, OTC medications and wellness products.

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.

PetIQ Inc has a Value Score of 65, which is considered to be undervalued.

PetIQ Inc’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make PetIQ Inc less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.75.

You can read more about PetIQ 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.

Pfizer Inc.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score PFE Industry Median
Price/Sales 58 2.59 3.25
Price/Earnings 24 8.7 20.1
EV/EBITDA 37 7.0 8.8
Shareholder Yield 21 3.6% (3.0%)
Price/Book Value 71 2.79 1.75
Price/Free Cash Flow 52 18.3 20.3

Pfizer Inc. is a research-based biopharmaceutical company. The Company is engaged in the discovery, development, manufacture, marketing, sale and distribution of biopharmaceutical products around the world. The Company operations through two segments: Biopharma and PC1. Biopharma is a science-based medicines business that includes six therapeutic areas, such as Vaccines, Hospital, Oncology, Internal Medicine, Rare Disease, and Inflammation & Immunology. PC1 is its global contract development and manufacturing organization and supplier of specialty active pharmaceutical ingredients. Its Vaccines include Comirnaty/BNT162b2, the Prevnar family, Nimenrix and others. Its Oncology products include Ibrance, Xtandi, Inlyta, Sutent, Retacrit, Lorbrena and Braftovi. Its Internal Medicine products include Eliquis and the Premarin family. Its Inflammation & Immunology products include Xeljanz, Enbrel, Inflectra, Eucrisa/Staquis and Cibinqo. It also offers Rimegepant and Zavegepant.

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.

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

Pfizer Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 8.7 compared to the industry median at 20.1. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Pfizer Inc. more attractive for value investors.

Pfizer Inc.’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make Pfizer Inc. more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.75.

You can read more about Pfizer 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.

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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 4 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.

  • Biofrontera Inc stock has a Value Grade of B.
  • Endo International PLC stock has a Value Grade of A.
  • PetIQ Inc stock has a Value Grade of B.
  • Pfizer Inc. stock has a Value Grade of B.

Now that you have a bit more background about each of the 4 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.

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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.

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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