RICK or MTN: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

RICK MTN

Investors with an interest in Leisure and Recreation Services stocks have likely encountered both RCI Hospitality (RICK - Free Report) and Vail Resorts (MTN - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now? 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 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.

Currently, both RCI Hospitality and Vail Resorts are holding a Zacks Rank of # 2 (Buy). 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 also try to analyze a wide range of traditional figures and metrics to help determine whether a company is undervalued at its 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.

RICK currently has a forward P/E ratio of 15.22, while MTN has a forward P/E of 28.29. We also note that RICK has a PEG ratio of 1.27. 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. MTN currently has a PEG ratio of 6.06.

Another notable valuation metric for RICK is its P/B ratio of 3.54. The P/B is a method of comparing a stock's market value to its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. By comparison, MTN has a P/B of 5.64.

Based on these metrics and many more, RICK holds a Value grade of B, while MTN has a Value grade of C.

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

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