Back to top

Image: Bigstock

ECHO vs. ASR: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Investors interested in Transportation - Services stocks are likely familiar with Echo Global Logistics and Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste (ASR - Free Report) . But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? Let's take a closer look.

There are plenty of strategies for discovering value stocks, but we have found that pairing a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system produces the best returns. The proven Zacks Rank puts an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, while our Style Scores work to identify stocks with specific traits.

Right now, Echo Global Logistics is sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). This means that ECHO's earnings estimate revision activity has been more impressive, so investors should feel comfortable with its improving analyst outlook. But this is just one factor that value investors are interested in.

Value investors also tend to look at a number of traditional, tried-and-true figures to help them find stocks that they believe are undervalued at their current share price levels.

Our Value category highlights undervalued companies by looking at a variety of key metrics, including the popular P/E ratio, as well as the P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a variety of other fundamentals that have been used by value investors for years.

ECHO currently has a forward P/E ratio of 11.05, while ASR has a forward P/E of 18.84. We also note that ECHO has a PEG ratio of 0.63. This popular figure is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also considers a company's expected EPS growth rate. ASR currently has a PEG ratio of 4.28.

Another notable valuation metric for ECHO is its P/B ratio of 1.44. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. For comparison, ASR has a P/B of 2.30.

These metrics, and several others, help ECHO earn a Value grade of A, while ASR has been given a Value grade of C.

ECHO 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 ECHO is likely the superior value option right now.


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:


Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S.A. de C.V. (ASR) - free report >>

Published in