Top 5 Value Stocks: Energy Still Has Gas

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The following companies have annual revenue of more than $500 million, below-average valuations, debt that is less than 49% of total capital and receive "buy" ratings from TheStreet.com Ratings' proprietary quantitative model, which considers more than 60 factors. The companies, categorized as value stocks, are ordered by their potential to appreciate.

New Jersey Resources(NJR) is an energy-services company that provides retail and wholesale energy services to customers in New Jersey and other states from the Gulf Coast to New England and Canada.

The numbers: Fiscal second-quarter revenue declined 20% to $938 million as net income and earnings per share surged 183% to $36 million and 83 cents, respectively. The debt-to-equity ratio remained low at 0.63, but a quick ratio of 0.43 indicates a weak cash position. Margins improved significantly, with the operating margin climbing 443 basis points to 6.2% and the net margin jumping 272 basis points to 3.8%.

The stock: New Jersey Resources has fallen 6% in 2009, in line with the performance of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The stock trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of 13 and offers an attractive 3.4% dividend yield.

Village Super Market(VLGEA) operates a chain of ShopRite supermarkets in the U.S.

The numbers: Fiscal third-quarter revenue increased 7% to $293 million as net income increased 25% to $6.3 million and EPS climbed 24% to 47 cents. Same store sales, a gauge of year-over-year improvement, jumped more than 7%. The company has a modest $36 million debt load and more than $47 million of cash, which works out to a quick ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19.

The stock: Village Super Market has increased 3% in 2009 and is up 13% from its March low. The stock trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of 17 and offers a 2.9% dividend yield.