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HOLX or EW: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

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Investors interested in Medical - Instruments stocks are likely familiar with Hologic (HOLX - Free Report) and Edwards Lifesciences (EW - Free Report) . 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 puts an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, while our Style Scores work to identify stocks with specific traits.

Hologic and Edwards Lifesciences are both sporting a Zacks Rank of # 2 (Buy) right now. The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that both of these companies have improving earnings outlooks. But this is only part of the picture for value investors.

Value investors analyze a variety of traditional, tried-and-true metrics to help find companies that they believe are undervalued at their 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.

HOLX currently has a forward P/E ratio of 19.90, while EW has a forward P/E of 34.96. We also note that HOLX has a PEG ratio of 2.22. 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. EW currently has a PEG ratio of 2.36.

Another notable valuation metric for HOLX is its P/B ratio of 5.98. Investors use the P/B ratio to look at a stock's market value versus its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. By comparison, EW has a P/B of 11.18.

Based on these metrics and many more, HOLX holds a Value grade of B, while EW has a Value grade of D.

Both HOLX and EW are impressive stocks with solid earnings outlooks, but based on these valuation figures, we feel that HOLX is the superior value option right now.


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