- If you are wondering whether Cohen & Steers is a value trap or a quiet opportunity hiding in plain sight, this breakdown can help you assess whether the current share price really lines up with the underlying business.
- The stock has drifted lower recently, with shares down 0.9% over the last week, 7.6% over the past month, and 32.3% year to date. This naturally raises questions about whether sentiment has moved beyond what the fundamentals justify.
- Much of the move is tied to shifting expectations for asset managers as markets adjust to a "higher for longer" rate environment and investors reassess income-focused strategies. At the same time, ongoing flows into listed real assets and alternative income strategies keep Cohen & Steers in the conversation whenever investors rotate toward yield and diversification.
- On our valuation checklist, Cohen & Steers scores only 1 out of 6 for being undervalued. This might sound underwhelming until you see how different methods, from discounted cash flow to multiples, tell slightly different stories, and how a more holistic way of looking at valuation comes together at the end of this article.
Cohen & Steers scores just 1/6 on our valuation checks. See what other red flags we found in the full valuation breakdown.
Approach 1: Cohen & Steers Excess Returns Analysis
The Excess Returns model looks at how much value Cohen & Steers can create above the return that shareholders require, based on its profitability and equity base. Instead of focusing on short term earnings swings, it centers on the firm’s ability to generate attractive returns on invested capital over time.
For Cohen & Steers, the model uses a Book Value of $10.79 per share and a Stable EPS of $2.35 per share, derived from the median return on equity over the past 5 years. With an Average Return on Equity of 30.34% and a Stable Book Value of $7.76 per share, the company has historically earned well above its implied Cost of Equity of $0.64 per share, resulting in an Excess Return of $1.71 per share.
When these excess returns are projected forward and discounted, the Excess Returns valuation points to an intrinsic value of about $42.19 per share. Compared with the current share price, this implies the stock is roughly 46.6% overvalued, suggesting investors are paying a premium for its quality and franchise strength.
Result: OVERVALUED
Our Excess Returns analysis suggests Cohen & Steers may be overvalued by 46.6%. Discover 907 undervalued stocks or create your own screener to find better value opportunities.
Approach 2: Cohen & Steers Price vs Earnings
For a consistently profitable asset manager like Cohen & Steers, the price to earnings ratio is a practical way to judge whether investors are paying a reasonable price for each dollar of earnings. In general, faster growth and lower perceived risk justify a higher PE, while slower growth or higher uncertainty usually command a discount multiple.
Cohen & Steers currently trades on a PE of 19.22x, which sits below the broader Capital Markets industry average of about 25.78x but above the peer group average of roughly 11.55x. To refine this view, Simply Wall St’s Fair Ratio framework estimates what a reasonable PE should be once factors like earnings growth, profitability, size, industry and specific risks are accounted for. This makes it more tailored than a simple comparison against sector or peers, which can overlook important differences in business quality and risk.
For Cohen & Steers, the Fair Ratio is 15.10x. The current 19.22x multiple therefore looks elevated relative to what its fundamentals would typically support, pointing to a valuation premium rather than a bargain.
Result: OVERVALUED
PE ratios tell one story, but what if the real opportunity lies elsewhere? Discover 1446 companies where insiders are betting big on explosive growth.
Upgrade Your Decision Making: Choose your Cohen & Steers Narrative
Earlier we mentioned that there is an even better way to understand valuation. Let us introduce you to Narratives, a simple framework on Simply Wall St’s Community page that lets you connect your view of Cohen & Steers’ story with a quantified forecast and Fair Value estimate. You can then compare that Fair Value to today’s price to decide whether to buy, hold or sell. The platform automatically refreshes your Narrative as new news or earnings arrive. One investor might build a bullish Cohen & Steers Narrative around expansion into active ETFs, recovering real estate values and higher margins that supports a Fair Value near the top of the current analyst range at about 80 dollars per share. Another might focus on fee pressure, concentration in real assets and structural shifts toward passive products, leading them to a far more cautious Narrative and a Fair Value closer to the low end of analyst expectations at roughly 66 dollars per share. Both investors would be using the same tool, but different assumptions, to reach decisions that match their own risk tolerance and outlook.
Do you think there's more to the story for Cohen & Steers? Head over to our Community to see what others are saying!
This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Valuation is complex, but we're here to simplify it.
Discover if Cohen & Steers might be undervalued or overvalued with our detailed analysis, featuring fair value estimates, potential risks, dividends, insider trades, and its financial condition.
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