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Zacks.com featured highlights include Nomad Foods, AerSale, BJ's Restaurants, AXIS Capital and Avista
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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – May 8, 2025 – Stocks in this week’s article are Nomad Foods Ltd. NOMD, AerSale Corp. ASLE, BJ's Restaurants, Inc. BJRI, AXIS Capital Holdings Ltd. AXS and Avista Corp. AVA

Tap These 5 Bargain Stocks with Impressive EV-to-EBITA Ratios

Price-to-earnings (P/E), given its inherent simplicity, is the most commonly used metric in the value-investing world. It is preferred by many investors while handpicking stocks trading at a bargain. However, even this straightforward, broadly used valuation metric has a few downsides.

While P/E enjoys great popularity among value investors, a less-used and more complicated metric called EV-to-EBITDA is sometimes viewed as a better alternative. EV-to-EBITDA gives the true picture of a company's valuation and earnings potential. It has a more comprehensive approach to valuation.

Nomad Foods Ltd., AerSale Corp., BJ's Restaurants, Inc., AXIS Capital Holdings Ltd. and Avista Corp. are some stocks with attractive EV-to-EBITDA ratios.

Here's Why EV-to-EBITDA Is a Better Option

Also referred to as enterprise multiple, EV-to-EBITDA is the enterprise value (EV) of a stock divided by its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA). EV is the sum of a company's market capitalization, its debt and preferred stock minus cash and cash equivalents. In essence, it is the entire value of a company. EBITDA, the other element, gives a clearer picture of a company's profitability by removing the impact of non-cash expenses like depreciation and amortization that dampen net earnings. It is also often used as a proxy for cash flows.

Typically, the lower the EV-to-EBITDA ratio, the more enticing it is. A low EV-to-EBITDA ratio could indicate that a stock is undervalued. Unlike the P/E ratio, EV-to-EBITDA takes debt on a company's balance sheet into account. For this reason, it is typically used to value acquisition targets. The ratio shows the amount of debt that the acquirer has to bear. Stocks flaunting a low EV-to-EBITDA multiple could be seen as attractive takeover candidates.

P/E can't be used to value a loss-making firm. A firm's earnings are also subject to accounting estimates and management manipulation. In contrast, EV-to-EBITDA is harder to manipulate and can be used to value companies that have negative net earnings but are positive on the EBITDA front. EV-to-EBITDA is also a useful tool in measuring the value of firms that are highly leveraged and have a high degree of depreciation. It can also be used to compare companies with different levels of debt.

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