Is Assurant (AIZ) a Great Value Stock Right Now?

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the importance of value investing and highlights Assurant (AIZ) as a strong value stock based on its Zacks Rank and valuation metrics [1][2][3]. Group 1: Value Investing Strategy - Value investing is a popular strategy that has shown success across various market conditions, utilizing valuation metrics to identify undervalued stocks [2]. - Zacks has developed a Style Scores system to identify stocks with specific traits, particularly in the "Value" category, where stocks with "A" grades and high Zacks Ranks are considered strong value stocks [3]. Group 2: Assurant's Valuation Metrics - Assurant (AIZ) currently holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) and a Value grade of A, indicating it is a strong candidate for value investors [3]. - AIZ's price-to-book (P/B) ratio is 1.94, which is attractive compared to the industry average of 2.69. The P/B ratio has fluctuated between 1.71 and 2.25 over the past year, with a median of 1.98 [4]. - The price-to-sales (P/S) ratio for AIZ is 0.95, which is lower than the industry average of 1.13, suggesting that AIZ may be undervalued [5]. - These valuation metrics indicate that Assurant is likely undervalued, and combined with a strong earnings outlook, it is considered a great value stock at this time [6].