3 Undervalued Retailers - Miscellaneous Specialty Stocks for Thursday, April 13

By AAII Staff
April 13, 2023
Diamond graphic indicating best value stocks in their industry
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Based on key financial metrics such as the price-to-sales ratio, shareholder yield and the price-earnings ratio, the following 3 stocks made the list for top value stocks in the Retailers - Miscellaneous Specialty 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 Retailers - Miscellaneous Specialty Stock News

Before choosing which top Retailers - Miscellaneous Specialty stock to buy, be sure to conduct proper due diligence: analyze various financial metrics and look at historical data, public statements and news coverage.

Our fundamental outlook for the specialty stores sub-industry is neutral, as the constituents of S&P Composite 1500 Specialty Stores Index are a mixed bag. Store openings will continue to be the rocket fuel of their multifaceted growth narratives. On the other hand, Amazon has wreaked havoc on many small-cap names like Office Depot and Michaels. Taking a deeper look at FIVE, we think it is wellpositioned to capitalize on the widening wealth gap. Even with the passage of three rounds of stimulus checks, the U.S. poverty rate continues to climb almost every month, jumping from 9.3% in June 2020 to 11.3% in January 2021, and marking the single largest year-over-year increase since the government began tracking the rate in 1960. As lower-income households are seeing fewer and fewer opportunities to build wealth, they are leaning more and more on off-price retailers to fulfill discretionary and non-discretionary needs. Looking at TSCO, we believe the market underappreciates structural and sustainable tailwinds, namely the significant potential for market gains as 2020 trends like all-time high pet ownership (livestock pet products 47% of sales in 2019), rural revitalization, and self-reliant lifestyle movement persist through 2021. We see robust omni-solutions (nation’s first major general merchandiser to expand same-day delivery to all stores; Q4 2020 marked third consecutive quarter of “triple-digit” e-commerce growth) and financial flexibility supporting its market share seize (90 new store openings we see in 2021). In the case of ULTA, we believe it is uniquely positioning as a Covid-19 winner (capturing market share) and reopening play (easier year over year comparisons). While Covid-19 survivors have been forced to drastically cut expenses, ultimately poorly positioning them to capitalize on secular changes in consumer behavior, ULTA has had luxury of playing offense, creating sustainable competitive advantages, including investments to bolster artificial intelligence (GLAMlab), partnerships (Target, which should allow ULTA to capitalize on TGT’s strong comps, mitigate competitive pressures and broaden target market), and omni-solutions (doubled digital sales in FY 21; rolled out curbside within a month of lockdown).

Why Focus on Undervalued Retailers - Miscellaneous Specialty 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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3 Undervalued Retailers - Miscellaneous Specialty Stocks

Of course, there are countless value stocks that are worth mentioning, but this is a concise list of the top 3 undervalued stocks in the Retailers - Miscellaneous Specialty industry for Thursday, April 13, 2023. Let’s take a closer look at their individual scores to see how they measure up against each other and the Retailers - Miscellaneous Specialty industry median.

Company Ticker Price/Sales Price/Earnings EV/EBITDA Shareholder Yield Price/Book Value Price/Free Cash Flow Value Grade
Joann Inc JOAN 0.03 na 12.6 29.1% na na A
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Inc NGVC 0.22 14.4 4.6 3.4% 1.53 40.6 B
ODP Corp ODP 0.23 11.6 4.9 10.0% 1.49 14.3 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.

Joann Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score JOAN Industry Median
Price/Sales 1 0.03 0.47
Price/Earnings na na 18.1
EV/EBITDA 63 12.6 8.9
Shareholder Yield 2 29.1% 1.2%
Price/Book Value na na 1.53
Price/Free Cash Flow na na 36.2

JOANN Inc. is a fabric and craft retailer. The Company operates in the sewing and fabrics category in the arts and crafts industry. Its sewing and fabric category includes cotton fabrics, warm fabrications, home decorating and utility fabrics and accessories used in home-related projects, fashion and sportswear fabrics, and seasonally themed and licensed fabric designs. The Company also offers yarn and yarn accessories, paper crafting components, craft materials, fine art materials, sewing machines, craft technology, lighting, irons, organizers, artificial floral products, seasonal decor, entertaining products, home decor accessories, ready-made frames and also includes non-merchandise services. It offers its products both in stores and online. The Company operates approximately 848 store locations in over 49 states at an average size of approximately 22,000 square feet. It operates three distribution centers in Hudson, Ohio, Visalia, California and Opelika, Alabama.

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.

Joann Inc has a Value Score of 93, which is considered to be undervalued.

When you look at Joann Inc’s price-to-sales ratio at 0.03 compared to the industry median at 0.47, this company has a lower price relative to revenue compared to its peers. This could make Joann Inc’s stock more attractive for value investors.

Now, let’s assess Joann Inc’s EV/EBITDA ratio, also known as enterprise multiple. At 12.6, when compared to the industry median of 8.9, 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. Joann Inc’s shareholder yield is higher than its industry median ratio of 1.17%. 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.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score NGVC Industry Median
Price/Sales 8 0.22 0.47
Price/Earnings 46 14.4 18.1
EV/EBITDA 19 4.6 8.9
Shareholder Yield 25 3.4% 1.2%
Price/Book Value 51 1.53 1.53
Price/Free Cash Flow 75 40.6 36.2

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. is a specialty retailer of natural and organic groceries, body care products, and dietary supplements. Its grocery products include Produce; Its grocery products include Produce; Bulk Food and Private Label Products; Dry, Frozen and Canned Groceries; Meats and Seafood; Dairy Products, Dairy Substitutes and Eggs; Prepared Foods; Bread and Baked Goods, Beer, Wine and Hard Cider, and Beverages. The Company also offers a range of natural pet care and food products, Household and General Merchandise and Books and Handouts. It also operates a bulk food repackaging facility and distribution center in Golden, Colorado. The Company operates in 164 stores and in 21 states including Colorado, Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The Company also provides science-based nutrition education programs.

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.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Inc has a Value Score of 71, which is considered to be undervalued.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Inc’s price-earnings ratio is 14.4 compared to the industry median at 18.1. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Inc more attractive for value investors.

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Inc’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Inc fairly attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.53.

You can read more about Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage 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.

ODP Corp’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score ODP Industry Median
Price/Sales 9 0.23 0.47
Price/Earnings 38 11.6 18.1
EV/EBITDA 21 4.9 8.9
Shareholder Yield 8 10.0% 1.2%
Price/Book Value 50 1.49 1.53
Price/Free Cash Flow 47 14.3 36.2

The ODP Corporation is a holding company that provides business services and supplies, products and digital workplace technology solutions to small, medium-sized, and enterprise businesses. The Company operates under four Divisions: ODP Business Solutions Division, Office Depot Division, Veyer Division, and Varis Division. Its ODP Business Solutions Division sells nationally branded, as well as the Company's private branded, office supply and adjacency products and services to customers. The Company's Office Depot Division is a provider of retail consumer and small business products and services distributed through an omnichannel platform. Its Veyer Division specializes in B2B and consumer business service delivery, with distribution, fulfillment, transportation, global sourcing, and purchasing. The Company?s Varis Division is focused on offering a B2B-centric digital commerce platform and provides the procurement controls and visibility businesses require to operate.

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.

ODP Corp has a Value Score of 86, which is considered to be undervalued.

ODP Corp’s price-earnings ratio is 11.6 compared to the industry median at 18.1. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes ODP Corp more attractive for value investors.

ODP Corp’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make ODP Corp fairly attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.53.

You can read more about ODP 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.

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Other Retailers - Miscellaneous Specialty 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 Retailers - Miscellaneous Specialty stocks as well as other industrys.

Choosing Which of the 3 Best Retailers - Miscellaneous Specialty 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.

  • Joann Inc stock has a Value Grade of A.
  • Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Inc stock has a Value Grade of B.
  • ODP Corp stock has a Value Grade of A.

Now that you have a bit more background about each of the 3 undervalued stocks in the Retailers - Miscellaneous Specialty 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 Retailers - Miscellaneous Specialty Stocks

Want to learn more about Retailers - Miscellaneous Specialty 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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