Another key factor here is that coal still makes up better than 40% of the electrical capacity in the U.S. It’s not an energy source that’s bound to disappear overnight; nor will President Obama, who has embraced a push toward cleaner energies, abandon coal. In fact, Obama made it clear in his campaigns that clean coal will play an important role in helping the U.S. claim its energy independence.
With gas prices rising and coal’s future looking healthy both overseas and domestically, I’d say Peabody Energy Corporation (NYSE:BTU) is worth a shot here at just a shade more than book value.
Now that’s what I call a deep discount
Component suppliers to Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)‘s iPhone have ridden the company’s coattails to immense success. Cirrus Logic, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRUS) — the maker of Apple’s audio components that reduce echo cancellation, suppress noise, and provide amplification — is a perfect case in point, rising better than 1,300% in less than four years. But when Apple warned of an iPhone 5 order slowdown in January, much to the surprise of Wall Street, it gutted Cirrus, which derives around 70% of its revenue from Apple.
Wall Street would likely cordon off Cirrus with yellow caution tape. As for me, I see it as one of the most deeply discounted companies in all of tech.
Keep in mind that we aren’t talking about the death of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) here. Apple sold 47.8 million iPhones in the first quarter — that’s a record the last time I checked. It has hardly made a dent in most BRIC countries, where growth rates are phenomenal, and it has a proven track record of sticking with innovative companies as its hardware suppliers. There really aren’t any substitutes that are out there ready to take Cirrus Logic, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRUS)’s place as Apple’s audio components supplier.
From a valuation perspective, I’m not quite sure how you get any cheaper than six times forward earnings, with $148.2 million in cash and no debt on its balance sheet, and a projected revenue growth rate of 91% in 2013 and 20% in 2014. Unless Apple’s market share demonstrates sizable declines globally and domestically, Cirrus remains an intriguing and strong value play.
Foolish roundup
This week it’s all about cycling back into largely unwanted companies. Rda Microelectronics Inc (ADR) (NASDAQ:RDA) still offers investors promising 3G growth in emerging markets; Peabody Energy Corporation (NYSE:BTU) gives investors a chance to profit because of coal’s ongoing role in electricity generation in the U.S.; and Cirrus Logic, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRUS) is Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s go-to audio solutions company for the best-selling mobile device in the world. It doesn’t get much better than that!
The article 3 Stocks Near 52-Week Lows Worth Buying originally appeared on Fool.com is written by Sean Williams.
Fool contributor Sean Williams has no material interest in any companies mentioned in this article. You can follow him on CAPS under the screen name TMFUltraLong, track every pick he makes under the screen name TrackUltraLong, and check him out on Twitter, where he goes by the handle @TMFUltraLong.The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple and Cirrus Logic, and recommends Apple.
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