5 Undervalued Companies for the Defensive Investor Near 52 Week Lows – November 2015

There are a number of great companies in the market today. By using the ModernGraham Valuation Model, I’ve selected the five undervalued companies reviewed by ModernGraham trading closest to their 52 week low. Each of these companies has been determined to be suitable for the Defensive Investor according to the ModernGraham approach.

Defensive Investors are defined as investors who are not able or willing to do substantial research into individual investments, and therefore need to select only the companies that present the least amount of risk. Enterprising Investors, on the other hand, are able to do substantial research and can select companies that present a moderate (though still low) amount of risk.

Be sure to check out the history of this screen to see which companies have been selected in the past.

Here are the five undervalued companies for the Defensive Investor near 52 week lows:

QUALCOMM, Inc. (QCOM)

Qualcomm Inc. qualifies for the both the Defensive Investor and the Enterprising Investor. The company passes all of the requirements of both investor types, a rare accomplishment indicative of the company’s strong financial position. As a result, all value investors following the ModernGraham approach based on Benjamin Graham’s methods should feel comfortable proceeding with further research into the company.

As for a valuation, the company appears to be undervalued after growing its EPSmg (normalized earnings) from $1.94 in 2011 to an estimated $3.69 for 2015. This level of demonstrated earnings growth outpaces the market’s implied estimate of 3.73% annual earnings growth over the next 7-10 years. As a result, the ModernGraham valuation model, based on Benjamin Graham’s formula, returns an estimate of intrinsic value above the price. (See the full valuation)

Western Digital Corp (WDC)

Western Digital Corporation qualifies for both the Defensive Investor and the Enterprising Investor. The Defensive Investor is only concerned with the short dividend history. The Enterprising Investor has no initial concerns. As a result, all value investors following the ModernGraham approach based on Benjamin Graham’s methods should feel comfortable proceeding with further research into the company.

As for a valuation, the company appears to be fairly valued after growing its EPSmg (normalized earnings) from $4.74 in 2012 to an estimated $5.98 for 2016. This level of demonstrated earnings growth supports the market’s implied estimate of 1.98% annual earnings growth over the next 7-10 years. As a result, the ModernGraham valuation model, based on Benjamin Graham’s formula, returns an estimate of intrinsic value within a margin of safety relative to the price. (See the full valuation)

Graham Holdings Co (GHC)

Graham Holdings Company qualifies for both the Defensive Investor and for the Enterprising Investor. The Defensive Investor is only concerned with the inconsistent dividend history. The Enterprising Investor has no initial concerns. As a result, all value investors following the ModernGraham approach based on Benjamin Graham’s methods should feel comfortable proceeding with further research into the company.

As for a valuation, the company appears to be undervalued after growing its EPSmg (normalized earnings) from $18.06 in 2011 to an estimated $70.23 for 2015. This level of demonstrated earnings growth outpaces the market’s implied estimate of 0.06% annual earnings loss over the next 7-10 years. As a result, the ModernGraham valuation model, based on Benjamin Graham’s formula, returns an estimate of intrinsic value above the price. (See the full valuation)

WestRock Co (WRK)

WestRock Company qualifies for both the Defensive Investor and the Enterprising Investor. The Defensive Investor is only concerned with the low current ratio while the Enterprising Investor’s only concern is the level of debt relative to the net current assets. As a result, all value investors following the ModernGraham approach based on Benjamin Graham’s methods should feel comfortable proceeding with further research into the company.

As for a valuation, the company appears to be undervalued after growing its EPSmg (normalized earnings) from $2.00 in 2011 to an estimated $3.24 for 2015. This level of demonstrated earnings growth outpaces the market’s implied estimate of 4.89% annual earnings growth over the next 7-10 years. As a result, the ModernGraham valuation model, based on Benjamin Graham’s formula, returns an estimate of intrinsic value above the price. (See the full valuation)

Cummins Inc. (CMI)

Cummins Inc. qualifies for both the Defensive Investor and the Enterprising Investor. The company passes all of the requirements of both investor types, which is a very rare accomplishment indicative of the strong fundamentals. As a result, all value investors following the ModernGraham approach based on Benjamin Graham’s methods should feel comfortable proceeding with further research into the company.

As for a valuation, the company appears to be undervalued after growing its EPSmg (normalized earnings) from $5.78 in 2011 to an estimated $8.96 for 2015. This level of demonstrated earnings growth outpaces the market’s implied estimate of 2.2% annual earnings growth over the next 7-10 years. As a result, the ModernGraham valuation model, based on Benjamin Graham’s formula, returns an estimate of intrinsic value above the price. (See the full valuation)

What do you think? Are these companies a good value for Defensive Investors? Is there a company you like better? Leave a comment on our Facebook page or mention @ModernGraham on Twitter to discuss.

Disclaimer:

The author did not hold a position in any company mentioned in this article at the time of publication and had no intention of changing that position within the next 72 hours. See my current holdings here. This article is not investment advice; any reader should speak to a registered investment adviser prior to making any investment decisions. ModernGraham is not affiliated with the company in any manner. Please be sure to review our detailed disclaimer.