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MEOH vs. PPG: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

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Investors interested in Chemical - Diversified stocks are likely familiar with Methanex (MEOH - Free Report) and PPG Industries (PPG - Free Report) . But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? Let's take a closer look.

Everyone has their own methods for finding great value opportunities, but our model includes pairing an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system with a strong Zacks Rank. The proven Zacks Rank puts an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, while our Style Scores work to identify stocks with specific traits.

Methanex and PPG Industries are sporting Zacks Ranks of #1 (Strong Buy) and #5 (Strong Sell), respectively, right now. The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that MEOH has an improving earnings outlook. However, value investors will care about much more than just this.

Value investors also try to analyze a wide range of traditional figures and metrics to help determine whether a company is undervalued at its current share price levels.

The Style Score Value grade factors in a variety of key fundamental metrics, including the popular P/E ratio, P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a number of other key stats that are commonly used by value investors.

MEOH currently has a forward P/E ratio of 8.15, while PPG has a forward P/E of 17.85. We also note that MEOH has a PEG ratio of 0.54. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. PPG currently has a PEG ratio of 2.14.

Another notable valuation metric for MEOH is its P/B ratio of 2.86. 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. By comparison, PPG has a P/B of 4.90.

These metrics, and several others, help MEOH earn a Value grade of A, while PPG has been given a Value grade of D.

MEOH is currently sporting an improving earnings outlook, which makes it stick out in our Zacks Rank model. And, based on the above valuation metrics, we feel that MEOH is likely the superior value option right now.


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