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CSL or DHR: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

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Investors interested in Diversified Operations stocks are likely familiar with Carlisle (CSL - Free Report) and Danaher (DHR - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now? 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 emphasizes companies with positive estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight stocks with specific traits.

Carlisle has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Danaher has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now. This system places an emphasis on companies that have seen positive earnings estimate revisions, so investors should feel comfortable knowing that CSL is likely seeing its earnings outlook improve to a greater extent. But this is just one piece of the puzzle for value investors.

Value investors are also interested in a number of tried-and-true valuation metrics that help show when a company is undervalued at its current share price levels.

The Value category of the Style Scores system identifies undervalued companies by looking at a number of key metrics. These include the long-favored P/E ratio, P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a variety of other fundamentals that help us determine a company's fair value.

CSL currently has a forward P/E ratio of 15.23, while DHR has a forward P/E of 21.99. We also note that CSL has a PEG ratio of 1.02. 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. DHR currently has a PEG ratio of 1.94.

Another notable valuation metric for CSL is its P/B ratio of 2.36. 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, DHR has a P/B of 2.69.

These are just a few of the metrics contributing to CSL's Value grade of B and DHR's Value grade of D.

CSL 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 CSL is likely the superior value option right now.


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