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BBSI vs. EXLS: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

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Investors interested in Outsourcing stocks are likely familiar with Barrett Business Services (BBSI - Free Report) and ExlService Holdings (EXLS - Free Report) . But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? 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 proven Zacks Rank emphasizes companies with positive estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight stocks with specific traits.

Barrett Business Services and ExlService Holdings are both sporting a Zacks Rank of # 2 (Buy) right now. Investors should feel comfortable knowing that both of these stocks have an improving earnings outlook since the Zacks Rank favors companies that have witnessed positive analyst estimate revisions. 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.

BBSI currently has a forward P/E ratio of 17.45, while EXLS has a forward P/E of 25.54. We also note that BBSI has a PEG ratio of 1.45. 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. EXLS currently has a PEG ratio of 2.37.

Another notable valuation metric for BBSI is its P/B ratio of 2.99. 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, EXLS has a P/B of 4.93.

These metrics, and several others, help BBSI earn a Value grade of A, while EXLS has been given a Value grade of D.

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


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ExlService Holdings, Inc. (EXLS) - free report >>

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