Live Oak Bancshares

Live Oak Bancshares Inc is assigned a 3-star quantitative star rating, indicating our belief that this share class is a balanced choice, but prudent investors should consider looking elsewhere. The stock currently trades at a 9% discount to our quantitative fair value estimate of $40.20 per share; however, caution is warranted due to this estimate's high uncertainty rating.

The company's valuation metrics increase our fair value estimate. A company's valuation metrics provide insights into the market's expectations for its future growth and profitability. Reflecting the firm's valuation is its book value yield of 71.7%, which lies in the top 45% globally. The market price is low relative to the book (accounting) value of the company's equity, which contributes to our view that shares are cheap.

The company's profitability is an additional encouraging factor. Highly profitable companies are often more resilient in recessions and are likely to generate stronger future cash flows for shareholders. The firm's earnings yield of 9.0%, for example, ranks in the top 30% compared with peers globally. This suggests that it is generating substantial earnings relative to its share price, which further promotes our favorable price/fair value ratio.

In addition to the aforementioned drivers, our model considers momentum as part of its comprehensive analysis. This share class has outperformed the broader universe over the past year. While we believe the stock is undervalued, this outperformance had a negative impact on our valuation estimate.

With its quantitative economic moat rating of none, we do not expect this company to materially outearn its cost of capital in the long run. However, its financial health score is strong, suggesting that the company should be well positioned to weather tough times.