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ASO vs. PLBY: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

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Investors looking for stocks in the Leisure and Recreation Products sector might want to consider either Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. (ASO - Free Report) or PLBY Group, Inc. (PLBY - 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 proven Zacks Rank puts an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, while our Style Scores work to identify stocks with specific traits.

Right now, Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. is sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy), while PLBY Group, Inc. has a Zacks Rank of #4 (Sell). The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that ASO has an improving earnings outlook. But this is just one factor that value investors are interested in.

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.

ASO currently has a forward P/E ratio of 10.59, while PLBY has a forward P/E of 128.98. We also note that ASO has a PEG ratio of 3.46. 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. PLBY currently has a PEG ratio of 4.96.

Another notable valuation metric for ASO is its P/B ratio of 2.90. 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, PLBY has a P/B of 4.87.

Based on these metrics and many more, ASO holds a Value grade of A, while PLBY has a Value grade of C.

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


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