5-Star Stocks for Value Investors

THE VALUE INVESTOR: Risk averse investors, look away now. These seriously undervalued stocks are only for the brave - those who are willing to risk it all for a bumper profit

Emma Wall 1 October, 2015 | 11:36AM
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Looking for a bargain stock to add to your portfolio? If you have nerves of steel and a long-term investment horizon, consider these five companies which are trading at significantly less than their estimated fair value share price.

Banco Santander (SAN)

Despite a Spanish real estate downturn that has persisted since 2008, Spain-based Banco Santander has managed to stay profitable throughout, largely due its geographic diversity, says Morningstar equity analyst Timothy Puls. While loan losses piled up in Spain, the bank’s Latin American operations in Brazil, Chile, and Mexico have been very profitable.

Latin America has generated half of the bank’s profits over the past three years and should remain the largest contributor going forward. Now that it seems the worst of Spain’s economic issues have already surfaced and taken their toll on the bank, Puls expects Banco Santander to be able to once again generate healthy and stable returns for shareholders.

BHP Billiton (BLT)

BHP Billiton is the world's largest publicly traded mining conglomerate, with the wherewithal to weather the boom-and-bust cycles of the volatile commodity markets. Geographic and product diversification give BHP Billiton more stable cash flow and lower operating risk than most of its mining peers. Most revenue comes from the relative safe havens of Australia/New Zealand, North America, and Europe.

This narrow-moat company has several key advantages, says equity analyst Mark Taylor. It produces a range of commodities from oil and gas to nickel, and it is a major producer of iron ore, copper, thermal coal, and metallurgical coal.

Casino Guichard-Perrachon (CO)

Casino is a multiformat retailer with operations in France, Latin America, and Asia. To meet varying customer expectations, Casino strategically tailors each banner and individual store to complement local market characteristics, develops private-label goods, and offers personalised promotions.

These "precision" retailing strategies have good merit, but Morningstar equity analyst Ken Perkins does not think they are differentiated enough from competitors' tactics to ensure that Casino will trump challenging industry economics by sustaining excess returns on capital over the next decade.

Elekta (EKTA B)

Buoyed by growing demand for radiotherapy, Elekta should enjoy strong sales momentum for the next decade, says Morningstar analyst Alex Morozov. The radiotherapy industry has consolidated substantially over the past decade, and the two companies are in a prime position to benefit from a market we believe is growing in the midsingle digits.

Investors seeking to capitalise on the future of cancer treatments typically focus on drug therapies, which tend to be high-risk/high-reward opportunities. The radiotherapy market doesn't have the pizzazz of the cancer drug market, but its growth prospects are attractive.

Volkswagen (VOW)

Morningstar’s fair value estimate includes punitive fines and assumes consumer rebellion against the tainted brands, with the consequences potentially coming from all global markets where Volkswagen sells the illegally polluting diesels.

The fair value estimate also assumes a negative impact on demand and pricing to account for brand degradation in what is sure to be a marketing nightmare for Volkswagen. Analysts estimate year-over-year declines in 2015 and 2016 revenue of 2% and 15%, respectively. Through the first half of 2015, revenue is up 8%.

The information contained within is for educational and informational purposes ONLY. It is not intended nor should it be considered an invitation or inducement to buy or sell a security or securities noted within nor should it be viewed as a communication intended to persuade or incite you to buy or sell security or securities noted within. Any commentary provided is the opinion of the author and should not be considered a personalised recommendation. The information contained within should not be a person's sole basis for making an investment decision. Please contact your financial professional before making an investment decision.

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Securities Mentioned in Article

Security NamePriceChange (%)Morningstar
Rating
Banco Santander SA3.72 EUR0.00Rating
Casino Guichard-Perrachon SA0.03 EUR-5.00
Elekta AB Class B73.90 SEK-2.44Rating
Volkswagen AG137.10 EUR-1.58Rating

About Author

Emma Wall  is former Senior International Editor for Morningstar

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