Back to top

Image: Bigstock

TEF vs. TU: Which Stock Should Value Investors Buy Now?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Investors with an interest in Diversified Communication Services stocks have likely encountered both Telefonica (TEF - Free Report) and Telus (TU - Free Report) . But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? Let's take a closer look.

Everyone has their own methods for finding great value opportunities, but our model includes pairing an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system with a strong Zacks Rank. 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.

Telefonica has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Telus has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now. The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that TEF has an improving earnings outlook. But this is just one factor that value investors are interested in.

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.

TEF currently has a forward P/E ratio of 15.53, while TU has a forward P/E of 27.95. We also note that TEF has a PEG ratio of 0.98. 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. TU currently has a PEG ratio of 3.02.

Another notable valuation metric for TEF is its P/B ratio of 0.85. 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, TU has a P/B of 2.87.

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

TEF 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 TEF is likely the superior value option right now.


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:


TELUS Corporation (TU) - free report >>

Telefonica SA (TEF) - free report >>

Published in