Value-seeking investors have nothing to be ashamed of. Being thrifty just means you're looking to wring the most out of a stock, but in an overheated market that continues to set new records seemingly daily, finding a company that fits the bill is no easy task.
That's why we asked three top Motley Fool contributors to identify three businesses that even miserly investors could love. Read on to find out why Nike (NKE -1.26%), Boyd Gaming (BYD -0.43%), and Camping World Holdings (CWH 1.18%) might be stocks you'll want to wipe the cobwebs off your wallets to buy.
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There's opportunity in uncertainty
Keith Noonan (Nike): With shares trading at roughly 20 times forward earnings estimates, Nike might not immediately look like an inexpensive purchase. There's also some argument to be had about whether it's really a "growth" company, particularly in light of slowing sales momentum and a recent decision to lay off 2% of its global workforce. Those viewpoints noted, I think the Swoosh deserves strong consideration from investors who are looking for a combination of value and growth.
The company's stock recently took a hit following the layoff news and a rating downgrade from JPMorgan, and now trades down roughly 4% over the last year while the S&P 500 is up 17%. Nike now trades at its lowest forward earnings multiple in the last two years.
NKE PE Ratio (Forward) data by YCharts.
While sales growth is slowing, the company is still delivering impressive earnings momentum, with a 17% earnings increase in its last fiscal year and 24% year-over-year growth in its last reported quarter. Amid a challenging retail climate, Nike is focusing more on direct-to-consumer sales -- which is one of the reasons for the recent layoffs and a development that's likely to improve margins and propel earnings going forward. The company also still has significant room for international growth, particularly in China, where third-quarter sales grew 15% year over year on a currency-adjusted basis.
You won't find many stocks with significant long-term growth potential on the horizon that don't carry lofty multiples to match, but it looks like some uncertainty surrounding Nike's outlook is presenting that type of rare opportunity.
Image source: Getty Images.
You can bet on this stock
Dan Caplinger (Boyd Gaming): When most investors think of casino gaming, they gravitate toward the big-name stocks that have operations in faraway parts of the globe like Macau. That's not surprising, given how much growth the Asian gaming capital has experienced over the past decade. Yet Macau's swoon over the past couple of years showed how a company like Boyd Gaming can present a competitive advantage by staying close to the familiar confines of the U.S. casino industry.
Boyd Gaming has locations in iconic spots across the nation. In downtown Las Vegas, you'll find properties like the Fremont and the California. Boyd also has a partial interest in the Borgata in Atlantic City, and you'll also find Boyd locations in the Midwestern states of Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana, as well as in Louisiana and Mississippi in the Deep South.
Recently, Boyd has gotten a real boost from Las Vegas. In particular, acquisitions of properties serving the local Las Vegas resident market, including the Aliante, Cannery, and Eastside Cannery, have helped bolster growth. Although regional gaming hasn't done as well, Boyd's valuation of 18 times forward earnings offers good value compared to the higher multiples you'll find from most casino operators. That makes Boyd a thrifty bet on growth if you think that Vegas can keep recovering.
Image source: Getty Images.
Set up camp with RVs
Rich Duprey (Camping World Holdings): Together with the tiny homes movement, recreational vehicles have also gained hold of the public's imagination, and Camping World Holdings has been one of the beneficiaries. Yet there are new opportunities to consider, too.
Of course, Camping World is the nation's largest network of RV retail locations, with big showrooms, a comprehensive suite of new and used vehicles, services for all of them, and a big assortment of accessories. A community has sprung up around tiny homes, which helps people understand the value in a more simplistic, less cluttered living style, and often includes RV living, too; but there are similar, topic-specific communities directed toward individuals who view an Airstream with nostalgia as well as its more modern (and larger) counterparts.
Yet with its recent acquisition of outdoor recreation retailer Gander Mountain, which it is rebranding as Gander Outdoors, Camping World is breaking into a business that can sell gear and products to its traditional RV buyer. Of course, the retail landscape is upended at the moment, but Camping World's intent to largely focus on adjacent markets, and minimize the retailer's bloated footprint, should minimize the risks.
At less than 13 times earnings, 15 times next year's estimates, and just a fraction of its sales, the market is deeply discounting Camping World's stock. Couple in a bargain-basement price that's only nine times the free cash flow it produces, and the RV dealer looks like a stock a thrifty investor could call home.
