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GPK vs. AMCR: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

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Investors interested in stocks from the Containers - Paper and Packaging sector have probably already heard of Graphic Packaging (GPK - Free Report) and Bemis (AMCR - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now? Let's take a closer look.

The best way to find great value stocks is to pair a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system. The Zacks Rank is a proven strategy that targets companies with positive earnings estimate revision trends, while our Style Scores work to grade companies based on specific traits.

Graphic Packaging has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Bemis 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 GPK is likely seeing its earnings outlook improve to a greater extent. However, value investors will care about much more than just this.

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.

GPK currently has a forward P/E ratio of 16.78, while AMCR has a forward P/E of 17.82. We also note that GPK has a PEG ratio of 0.99. 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. AMCR currently has a PEG ratio of 2.38.

Another notable valuation metric for GPK 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, AMCR has a P/B of 3.14.

These metrics, and several others, help GPK earn a Value grade of B, while AMCR has been given a Value grade of D.

GPK 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 GPK is likely the superior value option right now.


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