Back to top

Image: Bigstock

NRDBY vs. HDB: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Investors interested in stocks from the Banks - Foreign sector have probably already heard of Nordea Bank AB (NRDBY - Free Report) and HDFC Bank (HDB - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks is more attractive to value investors? We'll need to take a closer look to find out.

The best way to find great value stocks is to pair a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system. 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.

Currently, Nordea Bank AB has a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy), while HDFC Bank 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 NRDBY is likely seeing its earnings outlook improve to a greater extent. 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.

The Value category of the Style Scores system identifies undervalued companies by looking at a number of key metrics. These include the long-favored P/E ratio, P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a variety of other fundamentals that help us determine a company's fair value.

NRDBY currently has a forward P/E ratio of 9.78, while HDB has a forward P/E of 23.94. We also note that NRDBY has a PEG ratio of 1.10. 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. HDB currently has a PEG ratio of 1.21.

Another notable valuation metric for NRDBY is its P/B ratio of 1.25. 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, HDB has a P/B of 3.92.

These are just a few of the metrics contributing to NRDBY's Value grade of B and HDB's Value grade of D.

NRDBY 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 NRDBY 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:


HDFC Bank Limited (HDB) - free report >>

Nordea Bank AB (NRDBY) - free report >>

Published in