5 Undervalued Business Support Services Stocks for Monday, July 03

By Grace Malone
July 03, 2023
Diamond graphic indicating best value stocks in their industry
Featured Tickers:
CETX EEX RGP VEII WLFC

Based on key financial metrics such as the price-to-sales ratio, shareholder yield and the price-earnings ratio, the following 5 stocks made the list for top value stocks in the Business Support 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.

Latest Business Support Services Stock News

Before choosing which top Business Support Services 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 fundamental outlook for the business support services industry is neutral. Participants across the sub-industry carry out a wide scope of applications, including payments for goods and services, human resource (HR) payroll processing, and outsourcing. A variety of factors including inflation, pandemic-related impacts and geopolitical tensions have created a difficult set of obstacles for companies to maneuver. However, companies have largely recovered from pandemic-related impacts. Companies overly exposed to consumer groups have experienced larger inflationary pressures. Contractionary measures such as the Federal Reserve continuing to raise interest rates could further dampen consumer spending. It will be important that no other exogenous events emerge, such as intensified geopolitical conflicts disrupting the ongoing recovery in TPV (third party verification), employment levels, etc. Underlying payment economics likely flip to tailwinds as value-added services (VAS) revenue lines help fill the void and provide a “cushion” for upside, especially if other verticals or regions temporarily relax in the interim.

Why Focus on Undervalued Business Support 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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5 Undervalued Business Support Services Stocks

Of course, there are countless value stocks that are worth mentioning, but this is a concise list of the top 5 undervalued stocks in the Business Support Services industry for Monday, July 03, 2023. Let’s take a closer look at their individual scores to see how they measure up against each other and the Business Support Services industry median.

Company Ticker Price/Sales Price/Earnings EV/EBITDA Shareholder Yield Price/Book Value Price/Free Cash Flow Value Grade
Cemtrex Inc CETX 0.11 na na (18.5%) 0.83 na B
Emerald Holding Inc EEX 0.79 10.7 4.2 4.1% na na A
Resources Connection Inc RGP 0.65 8.5 5.0 1.3% 1.29 7.6 A
Value Exchange International Inc VEII 0.32 na na 0.0% 2.12 na B
Willis Lease Finance Corporation WLFC 0.72 9.4 11.2 (2.9%) 0.59 1.6 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.

Cemtrex Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score CETX Industry Median
Price/Sales 3 0.11 1.85
Price/Earnings na na 24.2
EV/EBITDA na na 11.4
Shareholder Yield 86 (18.5%) 0.0%
Price/Book Value 22 0.83 2.41
Price/Free Cash Flow na na 17.7

Cemtrex, Inc. is an advanced security technology and industrial services company. The Company operates through three segments: Security, Industrial Services, and Corporate. Security segment operates under the Vicon Industries brand, which provides end-to-end security solutions to corporate, industrial, and governmental security. Vicon?s products include browser-based video monitoring systems and analytics-based recognition systems, cameras, servers, and access control systems for security and surveillance. Vicon provides mission critical security and video surveillance solutions utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) based data algorithms. The Industrial Services segment operates under the brand, Advanced Industrial Services (AIS), that offers single-source expertise and services for rigging, millwrighting, in plant maintenance, equipment erection, relocation, and disassembly to diversified customers. Its subsidiaries include Vicon Industries Inc and Advanced Industrial Services 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.

Cemtrex Inc has a Value Score of 71, which is considered to be undervalued.

When you look at Cemtrex Inc’s price-to-sales ratio at 0.11 compared to the industry median at 1.85, this company has a lower price relative to revenue compared to its peers. This could make Cemtrex 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. Cemtrex 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. Cemtrex Inc’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its industry median ratio of 2.41. This could make Cemtrex Inc more attractive to investors looking for a new addition to their portfolio.

Emerald Holding Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score EEX Industry Median
Price/Sales 28 0.79 1.85
Price/Earnings 33 10.7 24.2
EV/EBITDA 16 4.2 11.4
Shareholder Yield 23 4.1% 0.0%
Price/Book Value na na 2.41
Price/Free Cash Flow na na 17.7

Emerald Holding, Inc. is an operator of business-to-business (B2B) trade shows in the United States. The Company offers live events, media content, industry insights, digital tools, data-focused solutions, and e-commerce platforms into three business lines: Connections, Content and Commerce. Its segments include Commerce, Design, Creative & Technology, All Other, and Corporate-Level Activity. The Commerce segment includes events and services covering merchandising, licensing, retail sourcing and marketing to enable professionals to make informed decisions and meet consumer demands. The Design, Creative & Technology segment includes events and services that support a variety of industries connecting businesses and professionals with products and operational strategies. The Company offers B2B e-commerce and digital merchandising solutions, serving the needs of manufacturers and retailers through its Elastic Suite and Bulletin platforms.

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.

Emerald Holding Inc has a Value Score of 90, which is considered to be undervalued.

Emerald Holding Inc’s price-earnings ratio is 10.7 compared to the industry median at 24.2. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Emerald Holding Inc more attractive for value investors.

You can read more about Emerald Holding 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.

Resources Connection Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score RGP Industry Median
Price/Sales 24 0.65 1.85
Price/Earnings 25 8.5 24.2
EV/EBITDA 22 5.0 11.4
Shareholder Yield 36 1.3% 0.0%
Price/Book Value 40 1.29 2.41
Price/Free Cash Flow 26 7.6 17.7

Resources Connection, Inc. is a global consulting company. It operates through three segments: Resources Global Professionals (RGP), Taskforce, and Sitrick. RGP segment is a global business consulting firm focused on project execution services that enable clients operational and change initiatives with experienced and diverse talent. Taskforce segment is a German professional services firm that operates under the taskforce brand. It utilizes a distinct independent contractor/partner business model and infrastructure and focuses on providing senior interim management and project management services to middle-market clients in the German market. Sitrick segment is a crisis communications and public relations firm, which operates under the Sitrick brand, providing corporate, financial, transactional and crisis communication and management services. It specializes in co-delivery of enterprise initiatives precipitated by business transformation, strategic transactions, or regulatory change.

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.

Resources Connection Inc has a Value Score of 85, which is considered to be undervalued.

Resources Connection Inc’s price-earnings ratio is 8.5 compared to the industry median at 24.2. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Resources Connection Inc more attractive for value investors.

Resources Connection Inc’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Resources Connection Inc less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 2.41.

You can read more about Resources Connection 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.

Value Exchange International Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score VEII Industry Median
Price/Sales 12 0.32 1.85
Price/Earnings na na 24.2
EV/EBITDA na na 11.4
Shareholder Yield 49 0.0% 0.0%
Price/Book Value 59 2.12 2.41
Price/Free Cash Flow na na 17.7

Value Exchange International, Inc., formerly Sino Payments, Inc., is a credit card processing and merchant-acquiring services company. The Company provides credit card clearing services to merchants and financial institutions in the People's Republic of China (PRC). It provides Internet protocol (IP) processing services in Asia to bank card-accepting merchants. The Company markets its services to local merchants with regional retail locations across Asia Pacific. The Company, through its subsidiaries, is engaged in providing information technology services and solutions, which consists of select services and solutions in computer software programming and integration, computer systems, Internet and information technology systems engineering, consulting, and administration and maintenance, including e-commerce and payment processing.

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.

Value Exchange International Inc has a Value Score of 66, which is considered to be undervalued.

Value Exchange International Inc’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Value Exchange International Inc less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 2.41.

You can read more about Value Exchange International 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.

Willis Lease Finance Corporation’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score WLFC Industry Median
Price/Sales 26 0.72 1.85
Price/Earnings 29 9.4 24.2
EV/EBITDA 56 11.2 11.4
Shareholder Yield 70 (2.9%) 0.0%
Price/Book Value 12 0.59 2.41
Price/Free Cash Flow 3 1.6 17.7

Willis Lease Finance Corporation, along with its subsidiaries, is a lessor and servicer of commercial aircraft and aircraft engines. The Company operates through two segments: Leasing and Related Operations, and Spare Parts Sales. The Leasing and Related Operations segment involves acquiring and leasing, primarily pursuant to operating leases, commercial aircraft, aircraft engines and other aircraft equipment and the selective purchase and resale of commercial aircraft engines and other aircraft equipment and other related businesses. The Spare Parts Sales segment involves the purchase and resale of after-market engine parts, whole engines, engine modules and portable aircraft components. The Spare Parts Sales segment also enables the Company to provide end-of-life solutions for surplus aircraft and engines, as well as manage the full lifecycle of its lease assets. Its subsidiaries include WEST Engine Funding LLC, Willis Aeronautical Services, Inc. and Willis Asset Management Limited.

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.

Willis Lease Finance Corporation has a Value Score of 78, which is considered to be undervalued.

Willis Lease Finance Corporation’s price-earnings ratio is 9.4 compared to the industry median at 24.2. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Willis Lease Finance Corporation more attractive for value investors.

Willis Lease Finance Corporation’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Willis Lease Finance Corporation less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 2.41.

You can read more about Willis Lease Finance Corporation’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 Business Support 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 Business Support Services stocks as well as other industrys.

Choosing Which of the 5 Best Business Support 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.

  • Cemtrex Inc stock has a Value Grade of B.
  • Emerald Holding Inc stock has a Value Grade of A.
  • Resources Connection Inc stock has a Value Grade of A.
  • Value Exchange International Inc stock has a Value Grade of B.
  • Willis Lease Finance Corporation stock has a Value Grade of B.

Now that you have a bit more background about each of the 5 undervalued stocks in the Business Support 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.

Learn More About A+ Investor

Additional Resources About Business Support Services Stocks

Want to learn more about Business Support 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.

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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