Here at Zacks, we focus on our proven ranking system, which places an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, to find winning stocks. But we also understand that investors develop their own strategies, so we are constantly looking at the latest trends in value, growth, and momentum to find strong companies for our readers.

Considering these trends, value investing is clearly one of the most preferred ways to find strong stocks in any type of market. Value investors use tried-and-true metrics and fundamental analysis to find companies that they believe are undervalued at their current share price levels.

In addition to the Zacks Rank, investors looking for stocks with specific traits can utilize our Style Scores system. Of course, value investors will be most interested in the system's "Value" category. Stocks with "A" grades for Value and high Zacks Ranks are among the best value stocks available at any given moment.

One company to watch right now is BCB Bancorp NJ (BCBP). BCBP is currently holding a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) and a Value grade of A. The stock holds a P/E ratio of 8.92, while its industry has an average P/E of 9.65. BCBP's Forward P/E has been as high as 9.82 and as low as 7.96, with a median of 8.73, all within the past year.

Investors should also recognize that BCBP has a P/B ratio of 1.35. The P/B is a method of comparing a stock's market value to its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. This stock's P/B looks attractive against its industry's average P/B of 1.66. Over the past year, BCBP's P/B has been as high as 1.41 and as low as 0.97, with a median of 1.09.

Finally, investors will want to recognize that BCBP has a P/CF ratio of 8.61. This figure highlights a company's operating cash flow and can be used to find firms that are undervalued when considering their impressive cash outlook. BCBP's current P/CF looks attractive when compared to its industry's average P/CF of 14.35. Over the past 52 weeks, BCBP's P/CF has been as high as 9.69 and as low as 7.16, with a median of 8.10.

Another great Banks - Northeast stock you could consider is CNB Financial (CCNE), which is a # 2 (Buy) stock with a Value Score of A.

CNB Financial also has a P/B ratio of 1.12 compared to its industry's price-to-book ratio of 1.66. Over the past year, its P/B ratio has been as high as 1.27, as low as 1.01, with a median of 1.14.

These are just a handful of the figures considered in BCB Bancorp NJ and CNB Financial's great Value grade. Still, they help show that the stock is likely being undervalued at the moment. Add this to the strength of its earnings outlook, and we can clearly see that BCBP and CCNE is an impressive value stock right now.

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