We recently compiled a list of the 12 Oversold Value Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Westlake Corporation (NYSE:WLK) stands against the other oversold value stocks.
Value stocks, as defined by their low forward P/E ratio, can present compelling investment opportunities, especially when they’ve become oversold due to negative market sentiment or temporary economic uncertainties. An oversold condition typically signals that investors have overreacted to negative events and recent challenges, driving stock prices below their fundamental intrinsic value. This discrepancy creates an attractive entry point for discerning investors who recognize that such pessimism is often short-lived. As investor sentiment stabilizes and market perceptions realign with underlying fundamentals, these undervalued stocks can experience significant rebounds, delivering strong returns. As legendary value investor Warren Buffett famously advised, “Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful.”
READ ALSO: 11 Oversold Blue Chip Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds
Until recently, however, it was challenging for investors to identify genuinely oversold value opportunities. The entire US stock market was trading near record-high valuations, with the forward P/E ratio almost reaching 24x in late 2024 – significantly above the historical average of around 16x. Under such conditions, most stocks appeared expensive, limiting the potential to find attractive entry points for value-driven investors. The recent market correction, however, has markedly improved this situation. As market indices have retreated into correction territory, valuations have dropped by approximately 10% as well. The new dilemma, however, is to identify whether the current correction has ended or the markets will continue to go lower.
The reputable Yardeni Research boutique believes that the current market selloff is entirely attributable to the Trump 2.0 tariff turmoil. Here’s what they said in a recent email dispatch:
“The bulls still believe (hope) that President Donald Trump is using tariffs as a bargaining tool to negotiate lower tariffs with America’s major trading partners. Some of them predict that if that’s not the case, then Trump will back off in response to political pressure to do so from lots of constituencies that stand to be harmed by a trade war. He might also back off if the stock market continues to tank. The bears warn that by the time Trump ever would relent, the economy would be in a consumer-led recession and the stock market surely would be in a bear market.”
We tend to agree with this reasoning and believe that the new US administration is unlikely to push too hard on tariffs and other policies that are likely to hit the markets too hard and hurt not only individual investors but also the business partners and institutions that supported the Presidential race. Furthermore, a widespread economic recession and a bearish stock market are certainly going to make the new US administration lose political points, something which is strongly undesirable for the prospect of being re-elected in 2028.
With that being said, the current 21x forward P/E valuation for the stock market is the cheapest in more than a year and may be approaching a local bottom. Furthermore, many industries have already been hit hard by Trump 2.0 policies and are trading at or near their 52-week lows. The key takeaway for readers is that we are at an opportunistic moment to look for oversold value stocks to buy.
A closeup of a Petrochemical product being inspected for quality assurance.
Our Methodology
To find oversold value stocks we used Finviz to screen for stocks with a forward P/E under 15 which are down at least -30% in the last year and display a Relative Strength Index (RSI) below 40. Then we compared the list with our proprietary Q4 2024 database of hedge funds’ ownership and included in the article the top 12 stocks with the largest number of hedge funds that own the stock.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).
Westlake Corporation (NYSE:WLK)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 34
Westlake Corporation (NYSE:WLK) is a global manufacturer and supplier of petrochemicals, polymers, and building products. Its operations are divided into two main segments: Performance and Essential Materials, which includes polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and other key chemical products used in packaging, construction, and industrial applications; and Housing and Infrastructure Products (HIP), which manufactures PVC pipes, siding, fittings, and other building materials. The company serves a wide range of end markets including construction, automotive, consumer goods, and packaging.
Westlake Corporation (NYSE:WLK)’s HIP segment generated $4.3 billion in revenue at a 24% EBITDA margin in 2024. The company has demonstrated strong margin improvement in its HIP business, with EBITDA margins nearly doubling from 13% to 24% over the past 6 years. The company maintains a strong market position with its vertically integrated operations, with 85% of chemical business assets located in North America, benefiting from low-cost ethane feedstock. Westlake’s HIP segment has shown robust growth with an 8% increase in sales volumes in 2024, supported by a broad product portfolio and strong geographic presence across North America.
Westlake Corporation (NYSE:WLK) maintains a solid financial position with net debt to adjusted EBITDA well below 1 turn, and 99% of its debt at a fixed rate of 3.4% with a maturity profile of nearly 16 years. With almost $3 billion in cash, the company is positioned for growth opportunities targeting mid-to-high teens after-tax returns. The Chao family maintains significant control with over 70% ownership stake in the company. With a forward P/E of 12.40, WLK is one of the oversold stocks to buy according to hedge funds.
Overall WLK ranks 9th on our list of the 12 oversold value stocks to buy according to hedge funds. While we acknowledge the potential of WLK as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than WLK but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.