Back to top

Image: Bigstock

BHC vs. AMPH: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Investors looking for stocks in the Medical - Generic Drugs sector might want to consider either Bausch Health (BHC - Free Report) or Amphastar Pharmaceuticals (AMPH - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now? 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.

Bausch Health has a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy), while Amphastar Pharmaceuticals has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now. This means that BHC'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 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 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.

BHC currently has a forward P/E ratio of 4.63, while AMPH has a forward P/E of 98.91. We also note that BHC has a PEG ratio of 0.23. 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. AMPH currently has a PEG ratio of 3.96.

Another notable valuation metric for BHC is its P/B ratio of 1.91. 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, AMPH has a P/B of 2.58.

Based on these metrics and many more, BHC holds a Value grade of A, while AMPH has a Value grade of D.

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


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


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


Amphastar Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AMPH) - free report >>

Bausch Health Cos Inc. (BHC) - free report >>

Published in