In the realm of active equity investing, fundamental strategies focus on the intrinsic value of a company's stock. Consider the following scenario: A portfolio manager is analyzing the financial statements of a mid-cap manufacturing firm to determine its investment potential. The firm has shown consistent earnings growth over the past five years but has recently reported a decline in return on equity (ROE) due to increased capital expenditures aimed at expanding production capacity. The manager is also assessing the firm's price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio and compares it to industry peers.
What fundamental strategy should the portfolio manager prioritize in order to determine if the stock is undervalued, given the recent decline in ROE and the increase in capital expenditures?