Core Insights - Investors often focus on the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio for stock valuation, but it has limitations [1] - The EV-to-EBITDA ratio is considered a more comprehensive valuation metric, providing a clearer picture of a company's true value and earnings potential [2][4] Valuation Metrics - EV-to-EBITDA is calculated by dividing a company's enterprise value (EV) by its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) [4] - EV accounts for market capitalization, debt, and preferred stock, minus cash and cash equivalents, offering a complete view of a company's value [4] - EBITDA provides insight into profitability by excluding non-cash expenses, making it a useful proxy for cash flows [4] Investment Opportunities - Stocks with low EV-to-EBITDA ratios are often seen as undervalued and attractive for acquisition [5] - Companies like Astrana Health, KT Corporation, Upbound Group, Noah Holdings, and DXP Enterprises have impressive EV-to-EBITDA ratios, indicating potential investment opportunities [3][9] Screening Criteria for Bargain Stocks - Parameters for screening include EV-to-EBITDA less than the industry median, P/E less than the industry median, and P/B less than the industry median [8][10] - Additional criteria include a minimum average trading volume, current price above $5, and a favorable Zacks Rank [11] Company Profiles - Astrana Health is a physician-centric healthcare company with a Zacks Rank of 1 and an expected earnings growth rate of 76.7% for 2025 [12][13] - KT Corporation, the largest telecommunications operator in South Korea, has a Zacks Rank of 2 and an expected earnings growth rate of 280% for 2025 [13] - Upbound Group, a lease-to-own provider, has a Zacks Rank of 2 with a projected earnings growth rate of 9.1% for 2025 [14] - Noah Holdings, a wealth management service provider in China, has a Zacks Rank of 2 and an expected earnings growth rate of 28% for 2025 [15] - DXP Enterprises, providing innovative solutions and services, has a Zacks Rank of 2 and an expected earnings growth rate of 17.5% for 2025 [16]

Core Viewpoint - Comerica Incorporated (CMA) has shown strong performance with a 21.2% increase in shares over the past year, surpassing the industry's growth of 19.5% [1] Price Performance - CMA's stock performance indicates strong investor confidence, outperforming peers like Northern Trust Corporation (NTRS) and BankUnited Inc. (BKU) [1][9] Factors Supporting CMA's Growth - **Improving Operational Efficiency**: The company is optimizing its cost structure by closing underutilized branches, reducing management layers, and enhancing digital tools, leading to a 3.2% year-over-year decline in non-interest expenses in Q1 2025 [3][4] - **Solid Net Interest Income (NII)**: NII has shown a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.8% over five years, with a 4.9% year-over-year increase in Q1 2025, driven by higher interest rates [5][6] - **Stable Loan Portfolio**: Total loans reached $49.9 billion as of March 31, 2025, with a five-year CAGR of nearly 1%, despite a 1.2% sequential decline due to commercial lending pressures [7] - **Strong Liquidity Position**: The company has a total liquidity capacity of $42.5 billion and $25.4 billion in borrowing capacity at the Federal Reserve, providing financial flexibility [10] - **Impressive Capital Distribution**: With a Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio of 12.05%, the bank supports robust shareholder return programs, including a quarterly dividend of 71 cents per share and a dividend yield of 4.9% [11][12] Earnings Strength - Comerica has a strong earnings surprise history, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the last four quarters with an average surprise of 12.58% [12] - Over the past three to five years, earnings per share (EPS) have grown at a CAGR of 6.37%, higher than the industry average of 4.10% [13] Earnings and Sales Estimates - **Earnings Estimates**: For the current year, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for EPS is $5.11, with a projected decline of 5.2% in 2025, followed by a rise of 9.8% in 2026 [14] - **Sales Estimates**: The current year sales estimate stands at $3.39 billion, with a year-over-year growth estimate of 3.91% [16] Valuation Consideration - CMA's shares are considered expensive relative to the industry, trading at a forward P/E of 11.26X, above the industry average of 11.05X [19]

In 2024, Mastercard processed $9.8 trillion worth of transactions, an 11% increase from 2023. In 2023, transaction value increased 10%. And in 2022, the value of transactions increased 12%. These are impressive growth numbers, and it highlights why investors like Mastercard stock. Mastercard (MA -3.04%) is an industry-leading payment processor that is growing strongly as cash is replaced by cards. The shares have been rising steadily, more than doubling during the past five years. There's just one problem: ...