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FII vs. HRGLY: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

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Investors interested in stocks from the Financial - Investment Management sector have probably already heard of Federated Investors and Hargreaves Lansdown plc . But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? Let's take a closer look.

We have found that the best way to discover great value opportunities is to pair a strong Zacks Rank with a great grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system. The proven Zacks Rank emphasizes companies with positive estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight stocks with specific traits.

Right now, Federated Investors is sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Hargreaves Lansdown plc has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). This means that FII's earnings estimate revision activity has been more impressive, so investors should feel comfortable with its improving analyst outlook. But this is only part of the picture for value investors.

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.

Our Value category grades stocks based on a number of key metrics, including the tried-and-true P/E ratio, the P/S ratio, earnings yield, and cash flow per share, as well as a variety of other fundamentals that value investors frequently use.

FII currently has a forward P/E ratio of 11.34, while HRGLY has a forward P/E of 31.42. We also note that FII has a PEG ratio of 1.91. This figure is similar to the commonly-used P/E ratio, with the PEG ratio also factoring in a company's expected earnings growth rate. HRGLY currently has a PEG ratio of 2.58.

Another notable valuation metric for FII is its P/B ratio of 3. The P/B ratio is used to compare a stock's market value with its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. For comparison, HRGLY has a P/B of 20.07.

Based on these metrics and many more, FII holds a Value grade of B, while HRGLY has a Value grade of F.

FII has seen stronger estimate revision activity and sports more attractive valuation metrics than HRGLY, so it seems like value investors will conclude that FII is the superior option right now.

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