Key Takeaways Five stocks were screened for low P/B ratios, solid value scores, and strong projected EPS growth. STNE shows the highest 3-5 year EPS growth rate at 26.3%, followed by PSFE at 17.9% and USNA. All selected stocks have a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and meet key valuation, liquidity, and pricing criteria.Value investing offers an opportunity to enter the market and grab stocks that have otherwise been overlooked by the majority of investors and are thus trading at cheap multiples.Though price to earn ...

Core Viewpoint - StoneCo Ltd. has experienced a significant share price increase of approximately 68.5% year to date, outperforming the broader Internet-Software industry and the S&P 500 benchmark, which saw gains of about 7.3% and 1.2%, respectively [1][4]. Financial Performance - The company has achieved three consecutive quarters of earnings beats, with the latest adjusted earnings per share reported at 34 cents, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 6.3% [1][3]. - Financial Services revenues grew by 20% year over year in the first quarter of 2025, up from 11% in the previous quarter, indicating a positive trend in profitability [7]. - The Software segment contributed to profitability with an 11% revenue growth, driven by higher recurring subscriptions and an expanding client base, leading to a 12% increase in adjusted EBITDA [8]. Strategic Initiatives - StoneCo's strategic repricing initiatives and capital return programs, including over R$2.4 billion in share buybacks over the past year, have enhanced investor confidence [2][10]. - The company repurchased R$843 million in shares in the first quarter of 2025, contributing to a return on equity (ROE) increase for the Financial Services segment to 27%, up from 23% a year ago [10]. Market Position - StoneCo has outperformed other fintech companies such as PagSeguro Digital and DLocal Limited, which gained 44.4% and 4.7% year to date, respectively [4]. - The stock closed at $13.42, which is 11.9% below its 52-week high of $15.23, indicating potential for future growth [6]. Valuation Metrics - StoneCo's stock is currently trading at a price/earnings ratio of 8.84X forward earnings, significantly lower than its five-year high of 87.87X and below the industry average of 37.72 [13]. - The stock's Value Score of B suggests a discounted valuation, making it an attractive investment opportunity [13]. Industry Outlook - The global fintech market is projected to grow at a robust CAGR of 16.2% from 2025 to 2032, positioning StoneCo to capitalize on broader industry tailwinds [17]. - The company's focus on margin-rich transactions and disciplined share buyback strategy signals strong momentum ahead, enhancing long-term shareholder value [17].

For the quarter ended March 2025, Toast (TOST) reported revenue of $1.34 billion, up 24.4% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $0.20, compared to -$0.15 in the year-ago quarter.The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.34 billion, representing a surprise of -0.27%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +5.26%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $0.19.While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they com ...

When considering valuation metrics, the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio has always been the obvious choice as calculations based on earnings are easy and come in handy. However, in the case of companies that are incurring losses or are in an early cycle of development, generating meager or no profits, price-to-sales (P/S) is a good valuation metric to identify cheap stocks.Other than P/E and P/S, the price-to-book ratio (P/B ratio) is also an easy-to-use tool for zeroing in on low-priced stocks that have high ...