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TGT vs. BURL: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

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Investors interested in stocks from the Retail - Discount Stores sector have probably already heard of Target (TGT - Free Report) and Burlington Stores (BURL - 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 proven Zacks Rank emphasizes companies with positive estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight stocks with specific traits.

Target and Burlington Stores are sporting Zacks Ranks of #2 (Buy) and #5 (Strong Sell), respectively, right now. This means that TGT's earnings estimate revision activity has been more impressive, so investors should feel comfortable with its improving analyst 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.

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.

TGT currently has a forward P/E ratio of 14.69, while BURL has a forward P/E of 22.62. We also note that TGT has a PEG ratio of 0.98. 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. BURL currently has a PEG ratio of 1.72.

Another notable valuation metric for TGT is its P/B ratio of 7.88. 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, BURL has a P/B of 16.13.

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

TGT 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 TGT is likely the superior value option right now.

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