We recently compiled a list of the 18 Best 52-Week Low Stocks to Buy Now According to Short Sellers. In this article, we are going to take a look at where POSCO Holdings (NYSE:PKX) stands against the other 52-week low stocks.

Buying low and selling high is a popular investment strategy that value investors inspired by Warren Buffett have perfected over the years. The legendary investor has consistently emphasized the importance of identifying stocks of undervalued companies with significant growth prospects and holding onto these investments for an extended period.

Some of the most undervalued stocks to buy are those trading near their 52-week lows, backed by solid underlying fundamentals. A lot of these companies have durable competitive advantages but have fallen due to an overreaction by pessimists to short-term headwinds. The companies should boost strong brands in their respective fields with high barriers to entry.

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Value investing means paying attention to more than just the stock price but by focusing on valuation. A pullback often creates buying opportunities where quality companies become available at low price-to-earnings multiples or low price-to-sales ratios relative to their industries.

Over the past 20 years, 95% of investment firms have failed to beat the S&P 500. In contrast, Buffett has averaged an annual return of 20%, nearly double the S&P 500 over the same period.

With the S&P 500 up by about 20% for the year, most stocks are trading at premium valuations above their 52-week highs. The impressive gains have come amid unfavorable market conditions, with interest rates near all-time highs of between 5.25% and 5.50%.

On the other hand, some stocks have pulled back significantly and are currently trading close to the 52-week lows, their core business hurt by the high interest rate environment. Additionally, some of the stocks have underperformed due to deteriorating macroeconomics. Concerns that the U.S. economy could plunge into recession have always hurt some of the stock’s sentiments. The U.S. Federal Reserve is expected to cut interest rates in September and these stocks might not be near their lows for long.

According to Stuart Keiser, Citi head of equity trading strategy, the high interest rate environment  has left  the market in a  very unstable situation amid a “ tricky environment.” Likewise many investors are on edge as to whether there will be a soft or hard landing. Keiser said, in an interview on CNBC’s Fast Money:

“Basically you had a 12 to 18 month period  of positive economic surprise of what I would call  higher for longer  growth strong rate cuts getting pushed out. Markets were able to deal with that  because growth was really positive. Since late June economic data surprised negative, economic data momentum negative. The market is now trading  instead of  higher for longer  trading, a bit of growth slowdown. That’s why you are getting this schizophrenia because as growth decelerates  you get into a borderline at which the risk becomes really big that  you could  go hard landing  instead of soft landing. So our view is that the risk reward is not what it was a  couple of months back”

Amid the market outlook uncertainty, focusing on stocks near the 52-week lows is a sure way of balancing the risk reward amid the premium valuation in play. While the focus has been on artificial intelligence investment plays, stocks in various sectors are trading at discounted valuations and are sure to offer significant returns.

Our Methodology

To compile the list of the best 52-week low stocks to buy now, according to short sellers, we first screened for stocks that were trading near their  52-week lows (0-10%  range) using the Finviz stock screener. Next, we looked at their short interest and picked the stocks with the lowest short interest that were the most popular among elite hedge funds. The stocks are ranked in descending order of their short interest.

At Insider Monkey, we are obsessed with 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 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).

POSCO Holdings (NYSE:PKX)

52 Week Range: $58.00 – $114.08

Current Share Price: $65.01

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 8

Short interest rate: 0.19%

POSCO Holdings (NYSE:PKX) is a comprehensive steel manufacturer. The corporation is involved in creating, importing, distributing, and exporting steel items, including hot and cold rolled steel, stainless steel, plates, wire rods, and silicon steel sheets, in addition to pig iron production.

The South Korean steel behemoth delivered strong results in the second quarter of 2024, with a significant 2.5% rise in earnings and a 29% increase in operating earnings. The firm’s emphasis on the Rechargeable Battery Materials sector and key expansion plans, like growing the Infrastructure division and advancing the Stage 4 Myanmar gas field project, has been positively received by investors.

Even though there was a drop in production and sales due to the shutdown of Po Long blast furnace 4, POSCO Holdings (NYSE:PKX) has been able to boost its operating earnings, benefiting from higher selling prices for products and reduced costs for raw materials. The company also pointed out progress in its efforts to produce low-carbon steel and enhancements in its operational efficiency.

POSCO anticipates a challenging sales environment but expects a restoration of production levels and lower input costs in Q3. The company is optimistic about further profit improvement in the upcoming quarter compared to Q2. It focuses on increasing sales in South Korea and leveraging operations in Mexico and other countries to promote sales in the Americas.

POSCO Holdings (NYSE:PKX) is hopeful of additional profit growth in the next quarter compared to the previous one. POSCO is concentrating on boosting sales in South Korea and using its operations in Mexico and other nations to encourage sales in the Americas.

The firm currently trades at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 18.76, making it attractive to investors seeking steady profits at a fair valuation. Furthermore, the firm’s enduring dedication to paying dividends, with a history of 32 years straight, could motivate investors. This reliability in distributing profits to investors stands out in a sector known for its fluctuations and cycles. Additionally, the percentage of shares outstanding short stood at 0.19% as of July.

After digging through 912 hedge funds for their Q2 2024 holdings, Insider Monkey found 8 POSCO Holdings (NYSE:PKX) investors. Ken Griffin’s Citadel Investment Group was the biggest investor, as it owned $3.30 million worth of shares.

Overall PKX ranks 1st on our list of the 52-week low stocks to buy now according to short sellers. While we acknowledge the potential of PKX 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 timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than PKX, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.