Growth at a reasonable price or GARP is an excellent way for investors to make some quick gains. This strategy helps investors gain exposure to stocks that have impressive prospects and are trading at a discount.

The GARP approach leads to the identification of stocks that are priced below the market or any reasonable target determined by fundamental analysis. These stocks also have solid prospects in terms of cash flow, revenues, earnings per share (EPS) and so on.

That means a portfolio created on the basis of GARP strategy is expected to have stocks that offer the best of both value and growth investing.

GARP Metrics – Mix of Growth & Value Metrics

The GARP strategy seeks to offer an ideal investment by utilizing the best features of both value and growth investing. Investors adopting the GARP approach will prefer to buy stocks that are priced below the market or any reasonable target determined by fundamental analysis. These stocks also have solid prospects in cash flow, revenues, earnings per share (EPS) and so on.

Growth Metrics

Both strong earnings growth history and impressive earnings prospects are the main concepts that GARP investors borrow from the growth investing strategy. However, instead of super-normal growth rates, pursuing stocks with a more stable and reasonable growth rate is also a tactic of GARP investors. Hence, growth rates between 10% and 20% are considered ideal under the GARP strategy.

Another growth metric that is considered by both growth and GARP investors is return on equity (ROE). GARP investors look for strong and higher ROE compared to the industry average to identify superior stocks. Moreover, stocks with positive cash flow find precedence under the GARP plan.

Value Metrics

GARP investing gives priority to one of the popular value metrics – price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio. Though this investing style picks stocks with higher P/E ratios compared to value investors, it avoids companies with extremely high P/E ratios. Moreover, the price-to-book value (P/B) ratio is also considered.

Using the GARP principle, we have run a screen to identify stocks that should offer solid returns in the near term.

Screening Parameters

Along with the criteria discussed in the above section, we have considered a favorable Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy).

Last 5-year EPS & projected 3–5 year EPS growth rates between 10% and 20% (Strong EPS growth history and prospects ensure improving business.)

ROE (over the past 12 months) greater than the industry average (Higher ROE compared to the industry average indicates superior stocks.)

P/E and P/B ratios less than M-industry average (P/E and P/B ratios less than that of the industry indicate that the stocks are undervalued.)

Here are five of the eight stocks that made it through the screen:

Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. ALSN is a designer and manufacturer of fully-automatic transmissions for commercial and defense vehicles. The company sports a Zacks Rank #1. It delivered average four-quarter earnings surprise of 29.88%. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Restoration Hardware Holdings Inc. RH is a luxury retailer in the home furnishing space, which offers merchandise assortments across various categories like furniture, lighting, textiles, bath ware, décor and many more. The company sports a Zacks Rank #1. It delivered average positive earnings surprise of 23.51% in the trailing four quarters.

Cigna Corporation CI is a health service organization that offers health insurance, related benefits and other health services. The company carries a Zacks Rank #2. It delivered average positive earnings surprise of 13.46% in the trailing four quarters.

Encompass Health Corporation EHC offers facility-based and home-based patient care services through its network of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, home health agencies and hospice agencies. The company carries a Zacks Rank #2. It delivered average positive earnings surprise of 13.84% in the trailing four quarters.

O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. ORLY is a specialty retailer of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment and accessories in the United States. It sells products to both Do-it-Yourself (DIY) customers, Do-it-for-Me (DIFM) and professional installers. The company carries a Zacks Rank #2. It delivered average positive earnings surprise of 3.87% in the trailing four quarters.