Back to top

Image: Bigstock

BBSI or EXLS: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Investors interested in stocks from the Outsourcing sector have probably already heard of 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.

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 proven Zacks Rank puts an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, while our Style Scores work to identify stocks with specific traits.

Both Barrett Business Services and ExlService Holdings have a Zacks Rank of # 1 (Strong Buy) right now. This system places an emphasis on companies that have seen positive earnings estimate revisions, so investors should feel comfortable knowing that these stocks have improving earnings outlooks. But this is only part of the picture for value investors.

Value investors analyze a variety of traditional, tried-and-true metrics to help find companies that they believe are undervalued at their 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 12.38, while EXLS has a forward P/E of 23.37. We also note that BBSI has a PEG ratio of 0.83. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. EXLS currently has a PEG ratio of 1.80.

Another notable valuation metric for BBSI is its P/B ratio of 2.96. 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 6.19.

These are just a few of the metrics contributing to BBSI's Value grade of B and EXLS's 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.


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


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


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

Barrett Business Services, Inc. (BBSI) - free report >>

Published in