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BHP vs. WPM: Which Stock Should Value Investors Buy Now?

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Investors looking for stocks in the Mining - Miscellaneous sector might want to consider either BHP (BHP - Free Report) or Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. (WPM - 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 Zacks Rank favors stocks with strong earnings estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight companies with specific traits.

Right now, BHP is sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). This system places an emphasis on companies that have seen positive earnings estimate revisions, so investors should feel comfortable knowing that BHP is likely seeing its earnings outlook improve to a greater extent. However, value investors will care about much more than just this.

Value investors also tend to look at a number of traditional, tried-and-true figures to help them find stocks that they believe are undervalued at their current share price levels.

The Style Score Value grade factors in a variety of key fundamental metrics, including the popular P/E ratio, P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a number of other key stats that are commonly used by value investors.

BHP currently has a forward P/E ratio of 8.04, while WPM has a forward P/E of 29.27. We also note that BHP has a PEG ratio of 1.94. This popular figure is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also considers a company's expected EPS growth rate. WPM currently has a PEG ratio of 5.85.

Another notable valuation metric for BHP is its P/B ratio of 2.15. 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, WPM has a P/B of 3.43.

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

BHP sticks out from WPM in both our Zacks Rank and Style Scores models, so value investors will likely feel that BHP is the better option right now.


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BHP Group Limited Sponsored ADR (BHP) - free report >>

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