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What does Piotroski F-Score mean?

The F-score is a set of nine accounting-based stock selection criteria which aims to identify the healthiest companies amongst a basket of value stocks. In summary, the nine metrics are: i) Net Income, ii) Operating Cash Flow, iii) Return on Assets Ð Score 1 if the ROA is higher in the current period compared to the previous year, iv) Quality of Earnings, v) Decrease in Leverage, vi) Increase in Liquidity, vii) Absence of Dilution, viii) Gross Margin and ix) Asset Turnover.

What does P/S mean?

A price-to-sales ratio, or a stock's market price per share divided by the revenue generated by sales of the company's products and services per share. Some argue that, since sales figures are less easy to manipulate than either earnings or book value, the price-to-sales ratio is a more reliable indicator of how the company is doing. However, this measure was misused during the dot com years to promote companies with no earnings or profits.

Stockopedia explains P/S...

Some argue that, since sales figures are less easy to manipulate than either earnings or book value, the price-to-sales ratio is a more reliable indicator of company value.

When EPS are negative or depressed temporarily the Price to Sales ratio can be a more useful indicator than the PE Ratio, and a low P/S can indicate a higher profit potential if the stock recovers. Some commentators have called it 'The King of the Value Factors' and look for P/S ratios of significantly less than 1.

It should be noted that the P/S ratio was abused during the dot com years to promote companies with no earnings or profits.

What does Asset Gwth % mean?

This measures total assets growth - it is used by James Montier as a criterion for a short screen since it may suggest uncontrolled or managed capital expenditure.