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FI vs. EFX: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

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Investors interested in Financial Transaction Services stocks are likely familiar with Fiserv (FI - Free Report) and Equifax (EFX - 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.

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.

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

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.

FI currently has a forward P/E ratio of 16.19, while EFX has a forward P/E of 30.70. We also note that FI has a PEG ratio of 1.14. 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. EFX currently has a PEG ratio of 2.27.

Another notable valuation metric for FI is its P/B ratio of 2.76. 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, EFX has a P/B of 7.02.

These metrics, and several others, help FI earn a Value grade of B, while EFX has been given a Value grade of C.

FI 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 FI is likely the superior value option right now.


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