The Q.i. Value ranks companies using four ratios. These ratios consist of EBITDA Yield, FCF Yield, Liquidity, and Earnings Yield. The purpose of the Q.i. Value is to help identify companies that are the most undervalued. Typically, the lower the value, the more undervalued the company tends to be. Diversified United Investment Limited (ASX:DUI) currently has a Q.i. Value of 32.00000. Sharp investors typically realize that stock returns can fluctuate, and the periods of extreme ups and downs can sometimes be quite long. It can be very difficult to predict when a big market downturn will occur. However, investors who have a plan in place will often find themselves in a better position than those who do not. Investors following an individual plan can include some preparation for the unknown. The plan may involve specific criteria, and it may be uniquely tailored to suit the individual’s goals. When markets get choppy, it can be tempting for the individual investor to go into survival mode. Some of the best stock buying opportunities will present themselves during a lengthy period of decline. Being ready to pounce on these opportunities might end up being a huge benefit to the investor when the time comes.

We can now take a quick look at some historical stock price index data. Diversified United Investment Limited (ASX:DUI) presently has a 10 month price index of 1.08014. The price index is calculated by dividing the current share price by the share price ten months ago. A ratio over one indicates an increase in share price over the period. A ratio lower than one shows that the price has decreased over that time period.

Looking at some alternate time periods, the 12 month price index is 1.11757, the 24 month is 1.24267, and the 36 month is 1.42433. Narrowing in a bit closer, the 5 month price index is 1.15065, the 3 month is 1.08189, and the 1 month is currently 1.05569.

Diversified United Investment Limited (ASX:DUI) has a current ERP5 Rank of 9202. The ERP5 Rank may assist investors with spotting companies that are undervalued. This ranking uses four ratios. These ratios are Earnings Yield, ROIC, Price to Book, and 5 year average ROIC. When looking at the ERP5 ranking, it is generally considered the lower the value, the better.

Checking in on some valuation rankings, Diversified United Investment Limited (ASX:DUI) has a Value Composite score of 55. Developed by James O’Shaughnessy, the VC score uses five valuation ratios. These ratios are price to earnings, price to cash flow, EBITDA to EV, price to book value, and price to sales. The VC is displayed as a number between 1 and 100. In general, a company with a score closer to 0 would be seen as undervalued, and a score closer to 100 would indicate an overvalued company. Adding a sixth ratio, shareholder yield, we can view the Value Composite 2 score which is currently sitting at 47.

Top notch investors are usually adept at filtering through the constant financial headlines. Now more than ever, there is an unprecedented amount of news and data regarding publically traded companies. Most of the focus is typically on the short-term and it tends to focus around near-term forecasts. Although more information is probably a good thing when looking at the bigger picture, being able to zoom in on the proper information can be quite a challenge. Tuning out all the unnecessary noise isn’t easy, but it may help the investor make better decisions. Constantly switching investments based on the headlines of the day may end up leaving the investor wondering what went wrong. Analyzing the right information can be an essential part of any solid stock investing plan.

Watching some historical volatility numbers on shares of Diversified United Investment Limited (ASX:DUI), we can see that the 12 month volatility is presently 11.387800. The 6 month volatility is 14.824800, and the 3 month is spotted at 14.374100. Following volatility data can help measure how much the stock price has fluctuated over the specified time period. Although past volatility action may help project future stock volatility, it may also be vastly different when taking into account other factors that may be driving price action during the measured time period.

Current Ratio

The Current Ratio of Diversified United Investment Limited (ASX:DUI) is 0.86. The Current Ratio is used by investors to determine whether a company can pay short term and long term debts. The current ratio looks at all the liquid and non-liquid assets compared to the company’s total current liabilities. A high current ratio indicates that the company might have trouble managing their working capital. A low current ratio (when the current liabilities are higher than the current assets) indicates that the company may have trouble paying their short term obligations.

Many individuals strive to expand their wealth by investing in the stock market. There are countless factors that come in to play when analyzing which stocks to invest in. Along with all the tangible information provided by publically traded companies, there are plenty of intangibles. It is fairly easy to comb through the balance sheet to find out detailed performance numbers, but it can be extremely difficult to measure other aspects such as competitive advantage, reputation, and leadership competency. Sometimes all the rational calculations will point to a buy, but there may be other influences that may not support the case and will need to be addressed. Investors who are willing to go the extra mile when conducting stock research may find that crucial decisions become a little bit less strenuous down the road. 

Gross Margin Score

The Gross Margin Score is calculated by looking at the Gross Margin and the overall stability of the company over the course of 8 years. The score is a number between one and one hundred (1 being best and 100 being the worst). The Gross Margin Score of Diversified United Investment Limited (ASX:DUI) is 16.00000. The more stable the company, the lower the score. If a company is less stable over the course of time, they will have a higher score.

M-Score (Beneish)

The M-Score, conceived by accounting professor Messod Beneish, is a model for detecting whether a company has manipulated their earnings numbers or not. Diversified United Investment Limited (ASX:DUI) has an M-Score of -999.000000. The M-Score is based on 8 different variables: Days’ sales in receivables index, Gross Margin Index, Asset Quality Index, Sales Growth Index, Depreciation Index, Sales, General and Administrative expenses Index, Leverage Index and Total Accruals to Total Assets. A score higher than -1.78 is an indicator that the company might be manipulating their numbers.

Piotroski F-Score

The Piotroski F-Score is a scoring system between 1-9 that determines a firm’s financial strength. The score helps determine if a company’s stock is valuable or not. The Piotroski F-Score of Diversified United Investment Limited (ASX:DUI) is 4. A score of nine indicates a high value stock, while a score of one indicates a low value stock. The score is calculated by the return on assets (ROA), Cash flow return on assets (CFROA), change in return of assets, and quality of earnings. It is also calculated by a change in gearing or leverage, liquidity, and change in shares in issue. The score is also determined by change in gross margin and change in asset turnover.

Investors are typically trying to find solid stocks to add to the portfolio. When it comes to stock picking, there is no magic formula. There are various techniques that may provide better outcomes than others, but it’s how these techniques are put together and applied that can make all the difference. One of the keys to successful investing is the proper use of information. Everyone can see the vast amount of data that is available on publically traded companies. Being able to interpret the data could end up being the most important factor when it comes to successfully selecting stocks to buy. Taking the time to investigate a particular stock that looks attractive can be a smart move. Investors may be better served to not just jump on the hot stock of the day, but employ analysis that may help uncover some buried information. Good stocks are indeed out there, it may just take some time to figure out which ones they are.