Based on key financial metrics such as the price-to-sales ratio, shareholder yield and the price-earnings ratio, the following 6 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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6 Undervalued Pharmaceuticals Stocks

Of course, there are countless value stocks that are worth mentioning, but this is a concise list of the top 6 undervalued stocks in the Pharmaceuticals industry for Wednesday, May 24, 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.

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.

Eagle Pharmaceuticals Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Eagle Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a fully integrated pharmaceutical company with research and development, clinical, manufacturing and commercial capabilities. The Company is focused on developing medicines that result in improvements in patients' lives. The Company's commercialized products include vasopressin, PEMFEXY, RYANODEX, BENDEKA, BELRAPZO, TREAKISYM (Japan), and BYFAVO and BARHEMSYS through its wholly owned subsidiary Acacia Pharma Inc. Its oncology and central nervous system (CNS)/metabolic critical care pipeline includes product candidates with the potential to address underserved therapeutic areas across multiple disease states. The Company also has a research and development facility in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Company has office space in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida and Indianapolis, Indiana. The Company?s subsidiaries include Eagle Biologics, Inc., Eagle Research Lab Limited, Acacia Pharma Group plc, Acacia Pharma Limited and Acacia Pharma Inc.

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.

Eagle Pharmaceuticals Inc has a Value Score of 66, which is considered to be undervalued.

When you look at Eagle Pharmaceuticals Inc’s price-to-sales ratio at 1.03 compared to the industry median at 2.91, this company has a lower price relative to revenue compared to its peers. This could make Eagle Pharmaceuticals Inc’s stock more attractive for value investors.

Now, let’s assess Eagle Pharmaceuticals Inc’s EV/EBITDA ratio, also known as enterprise multiple. At 6.0, when compared to the industry median of 10.3, 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. Eagle Pharmaceuticals Inc’s shareholder yield is lower than its industry median ratio of (2.67%). 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. Eagle Pharmaceuticals Inc’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its industry median ratio of 1.66. This could make Eagle Pharmaceuticals Inc more attractive to investors looking for a new addition to their portfolio.

Lastly, let’s take a look at Eagle Pharmaceuticals Inc’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio (P/FCF), which can indicate a company’s market value relative to its operating cash flow. Eagle Pharmaceuticals Inc’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio is lower than its industry median ratio of 18.60. This could make Eagle Pharmaceuticals Inc more attractive because the lower P/FCF ratio indicates that Eagle Pharmaceuticals 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.

Hexo Corp’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Hexo Corp. is a Canada-based consumer packaged goods cannabis company. The Company is engaged in cultivating, processing, packaging, and distributing cannabis products to serve the cannabis market. The Company serves the Canadian recreational market with a brand portfolio, including HEXO, Redecan, UP Cannabis, Original Stash, 48North, Trail Mix, Bake Sale and Latitude brands, and the medical market under HEXO medical cannabis in Canada and Israel. Its HEXO brand offers a range of flower strains, discreet capsules, and convenient vapes, including the HEXO FLVR lineup of flavor-first vapes, and HEXO Plus high potency flower, exclusive to Quebec. Its brand Namaste is a recreational cannabis brand for mindful consumers.

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.

Hexo Corp has a Value Score of 71, which is considered to be undervalued.

Hexo Corp’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Hexo Corp less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.66.

You can read more about Hexo 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.

McKesson Corp’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

McKesson Corporation is a provider of diversified healthcare services. The Company is engaged in advancing health outcomes for patients everywhere. Its U.S. Pharmaceutical segment distributes branded, generic, specialty, biosimilar, and over the counter (OTC) pharmaceutical drugs and other healthcare-related products in the United States. Its Prescription Technology Solutions segment helps solve medication access, affordability, and adherence challenges for patients by working across healthcare to connect patients, pharmacies, providers, pharmacy benefit managers, health plans, and biopharma companies. Its Medical-Surgical Solutions segment provides medical-surgical supply distribution, logistics, and other services to healthcare providers, including physician offices, surgery centers, nursing homes, hospital reference labs, and home healthcare agencies. Its International segment provides distribution and services to wholesale, institutional, and retail customers in Europe and Canada.

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.

McKesson Corp has a Value Score of 74, which is considered to be undervalued.

McKesson Corp’s price-earnings ratio is 15.7 compared to the industry median at 18.5. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes McKesson Corp more attractive for value investors.

You can read more about McKesson 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.

Organon & Co’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Organon & Co. (Organon) is a global healthcare company. The Company is engaged in developing and delivering health solutions through a portfolio of prescription therapies and medical devices within women's health, biosimilars and established brands (Organon Products). Organon has a portfolio of contraception and fertility brands, such as Nexplanon or Implanon NXT, NuvaRing, Follistim AQ, and Elonva. The Company?s Biosimilars portfolio spans immunology and oncology treatments. It also has a portfolio of established brands, including brands in cardiovascular, respiratory, dermatology and non-opioid pain management. The Company sells these products through various channels, including drug wholesalers and retailers, hospitals, government agencies and managed healthcare providers, such as health maintenance organizations, pharmacy benefit managers and other institutions. It operates its manufacturing facilities in Belgium, Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, the Netherlands and 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.

Organon & Co has a Value Score of 80, which is considered to be undervalued.

Organon & Co’s price-earnings ratio is 7.1 compared to the industry median at 18.5. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Organon & Co more attractive for value investors.

You can read more about Organon & 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.

Phibro Animal Health Corp’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Phibro Animal Health Corporation is a diversified animal health and mineral nutrition company. The Company develops and markets a range of products for food and companion animals including poultry, swine, beef and dairy cattle, aquaculture and dogs. The Company operates through three segments, which include Animal Health, Mineral Nutrition and Performance Products. Its Animal health segment includes products, such as antibacterial, anticoccidials, nutritional specialty products and vaccines. This segment also includes antibacterial and other processing aids used in the ethanol fermentation industry. Its Mineral Nutrition segment manufactures and markets approximately 400 formulations and concentrations of trace minerals, such as zinc, manganese, copper, iron and other compounds. Its Performance Products segment manufactures and markets specialty ingredients for use in the personal care, industrial chemical and chemical catalyst industries, primarily in the United States.

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.

Phibro Animal Health Corp has a Value Score of 61, which is considered to be undervalued.

Phibro Animal Health Corp’s price-earnings ratio is 19.4 compared to the industry median at 18.5. This means that it has a higher price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Phibro Animal Health Corp less attractive for value investors.

Phibro Animal Health Corp’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make Phibro Animal Health Corp more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.66.

You can read more about Phibro Animal Health 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.

Qilian International Holding Group Ltd’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Qilian International Holding Group Ltd is a China-based company mainly engaged in the development, manufacture, marketing and sale of licorice products, oxytetracycline products, traditional Chinese medicine derivatives (TCMD) product, heparin product, sausage casings and fertilizers. The Company operates through three segments: Oxytetracycline & Licorice Products and TCMD segment, Fertilizer segment and Heparin Products and Sausage Casing segment. Its main brand is Qilian Shan. The Company principally operates its businesses within the domestic market.

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.

Qilian International Holding Group Ltd has a Value Score of 66, which is considered to be undervalued.

Qilian International Holding Group Ltd’s price-earnings ratio is 32.5 compared to the industry median at 18.5. This means that it has a higher price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Qilian International Holding Group Ltd less attractive for value investors.

Qilian International Holding Group Ltd’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Qilian International Holding Group Ltd less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.66.

You can read more about Qilian International Holding Group 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.

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 6 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.

• Eagle Pharmaceuticals Inc stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Hexo Corp stock has a Value Grade of B.
• McKesson Corp stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Organon & Co stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Phibro Animal Health Corp stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Qilian International Holding Group Ltd stock has a Value Grade of B.

Now that you have a bit more background about each of the 6 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.

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.

• 6 Undervalued Pharmaceuticals Stocks for Wednesday, May 24
• Is Propanc Biopharma Inc (PPCBD) Stock a Good Investment?
• 5 Undervalued Pharmaceuticals Stocks for Tuesday, May 23
• Why Bausch Health Companies Inc’s (BHC) Stock Is Down 4.43%

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