The following are the top rated Consumer Cyclical stocks according to Validea’s Low PE Investor model based on the published strategy of John Neff. This strategy looks for firms with persistent earnings growth that trade at a discount relative to their earnings growth and dividend yield.
AUTOZONE, INC. (AZO) is a large-cap growth stock in the Auto & Truck Parts industry. The rating according to our strategy based on John Neff is 81% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: AutoZone, Inc. (AutoZone) is a retailer and distributor of automotive replacement parts and accessories in the United States. The Company operates through the Auto Parts Locations segment. The Auto Parts Locations segment is a retailer and distributor of automotive parts and accessories through the Company’s locations in the United States, Mexico and Brazil. AutoZone operates approximately 5,975 stores in the United States, 635 stores in Mexico and 47 stores in Brazil. The Company’s stores carry product lines for cars, sport utility vehicles, vans and light trucks, including new and remanufactured automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories and non-automotive products. AutoZone also sells the ALLDATA brand diagnostic and repair software through www.alldata.com. Additionally, AutoZone sells automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories, and non-automotive products through www.autozone.com and servs its commercial customers through www.autozonepro.com.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy’s tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy’s criteria.
| P/E RATIO: | PASS |
| EPS GROWTH: | PASS |
| FUTURE EPS GROWTH: | PASS |
| SALES GROWTH: | FAIL |
| TOTAL RETURN/PE: | PASS |
| FREE CASH FLOW: | PASS |
| EPS PERSISTENCE: | PASS |
Detailed Analysis of AUTOZONE, INC.
AUTOLIV INC. (ALV) is a mid-cap value stock in the Auto & Truck Parts industry. The rating according to our strategy based on John Neff is 62% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Autoliv Inc is the worldwide company operating in vehicle safety systems with a broad range of product offerings, primarily passive safety systems. Passive safety systems include modules and components for frontal-impact airbag protection systems, side-impact airbag protection systems, seatbelts, steering wheels, inflator technologies, battery cable cutters and protection systems for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. Autoliv Inc develops and engineer automotive safety solutions to save lives and prevent injuries on the roads. The Company has one operating segment which includes Autoliv’s airbag and seatbelt products and components. Autoliv Inc operates through 14 technical centers, with 20 test tracks and in 27 countries.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy’s tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy’s criteria.
| P/E RATIO: | PASS |
| EPS GROWTH: | FAIL |
| FUTURE EPS GROWTH: | PASS |
| SALES GROWTH: | PASS |
| TOTAL RETURN/PE: | FAIL |
| FREE CASH FLOW: | PASS |
| EPS PERSISTENCE: | PASS |
Detailed Analysis of AUTOLIV INC.
JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC. (JOUT) is a small-cap value stock in the Recreational Products industry. The rating according to our strategy based on John Neff is 62% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Johnson Outdoors Inc. is a manufacturer and marketer of branded seasonal, outdoor recreation products. The Company operates through four segments: Marine Electronics, Outdoor Equipment, Watercraft and Diving. Its Marine Electronics segment’s brands are Minn Kota, Humminbird and Cannon. Its Outdoor Equipment segment’s brands are Eureka!, Jetboil and Silva. Its Watercraft segment designs and markets Necky sea touring kayaks; sit on top Ocean Kayaks, and Old Town canoes and kayaks for family recreation, touring, angling and tripping. The Company manufactures and markets underwater diving products for recreational divers, which it sells and distributes under the SCUBAPRO brand name. It markets a line of underwater diving and snorkeling equipment, including regulators, buoyancy compensators, dive computers and gauges, wetsuits, masks, fins, snorkels and accessories. The Company’s products are used for fishing from a boat, diving, paddling, hiking and camping.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy’s tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy’s criteria.
| P/E RATIO: | PASS |
| EPS GROWTH: | FAIL |
| FUTURE EPS GROWTH: | FAIL |
| SALES GROWTH: | PASS |
| TOTAL RETURN/PE: | PASS |
| FREE CASH FLOW: | PASS |
| EPS PERSISTENCE: | PASS |
Detailed Analysis of JOHNSON OUTDOORS INC.
KONTOOR BRANDS INC (KTB) is a mid-cap growth stock in the Apparel/Accessories industry. The rating according to our strategy based on John Neff is 62% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Kontoor Brands, Inc. is a global apparel company. The Company is focused on the design, manufacturing, sourcing, marketing, and distribution of its portfolio of brands, including Wrangler, Lee and and Rock & Republic. It sells its products primarily through its wholesale and digital channels. Its distribution channels include United States (U.S.) Wholesale, Non-U.S. Wholesale, Branded Direct-to-Consumer and Others. Wrangler offers denim, apparel, and accessories for men and women. Lee is a denim and apparel brand. Lee product collections include a range of jeans, pants, shirts, shorts, and jackets for men, women, boys and girls. Rock & Republic is a premium apparel brand. Rock & Republic products are sold in the United States exclusively through Kohl’s. It also owns and operates other various brands worldwide, which include Gitano and Chic.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy’s tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy’s criteria.
| P/E RATIO: | PASS |
| EPS GROWTH: | FAIL |
| FUTURE EPS GROWTH: | PASS |
| SALES GROWTH: | PASS |
| TOTAL RETURN/PE: | FAIL |
| FREE CASH FLOW: | PASS |
| EPS PERSISTENCE: | PASS |
Detailed Analysis of KONTOOR BRANDS INC
LEAR CORPORATION (LEA) is a mid-cap value stock in the Auto & Truck Parts industry. The rating according to our strategy based on John Neff is 62% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Lear Corporation (Lear) is a supplier to the global automotive industry. The Company is engaged in supplying seating, electrical distribution systems and electronic modules, as well as related sub-systems, components and software, to automotive manufacturers. The Company’s segments include Seating and E-Systems. The Company serves the automotive and light truck market. The Seating segment consists of the design, development, engineering, just-in-time assembly and delivery of complete seat systems, as well as the design, development, engineering and manufacture of all seat components, including seat covers and surface materials, such as leather and fabric, seat structures and mechanisms, seat foam and headrests. The E-Systems segment consists of the design, development, engineering, manufacture, assembly and supply of electrical distribution systems, electronic modules and related components and software for light vehicles across the world.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy’s tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy’s criteria.
| P/E RATIO: | PASS |
| EPS GROWTH: | FAIL |
| FUTURE EPS GROWTH: | PASS |
| SALES GROWTH: | PASS |
| TOTAL RETURN/PE: | FAIL |
| FREE CASH FLOW: | PASS |
| EPS PERSISTENCE: | PASS |
Detailed Analysis of LEAR CORPORATION
More details on Validea’s John Neff strategy
About John Neff: While known as the manager with whom many top managers entrusted their own money, Neff was far from the smooth-talking, high-profile Wall Streeter you might expect. He was mild-mannered and low-key, and the same might be said of the Windsor Fund that he managed for more than three decades. In fact, Neff himself described the fund as “relatively prosaic, dull, [and] conservative.” There was nothing dull about his results, however. From 1964 to 1995, Neff guided Windsor to a 13.7 percent average annual return, easily outpacing the S&P 500’s 10.6 percent return during that time. That 3.1 percentage point difference is huge over time — a $10,000 investment in Windsor (with dividends reinvested) at the start of Neff’s tenure would have ended up as more than $564,000 by the time he retired, more than twice what the same investment in the S&P would have yielded (about $233,000). Considering the length of his tenure, that track record may be the best ever for a manager of such a large fund.
About Validea: Validea is an investment research service that follows the published strategies of investment legends. Validea offers both stock analysis and model portfolios based on gurus who have outperformed the market over the long-term, including Warren Buffett, Benjamin Graham, Peter Lynch and Martin Zweig. For more information about Validea, click here
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
