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TAP or BUD: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

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Investors looking for stocks in the Beverages - Alcohol sector might want to consider either Molson Coors Brewing (TAP - Free Report) or Anheuser-Busch Inbev (BUD - 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 Zacks Rank favors stocks with strong earnings estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight companies with specific traits.

Currently, Molson Coors Brewing has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Anheuser-Busch Inbev 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 TAP has an improving earnings outlook. However, value investors will care about much more than just this.

Value investors also tend to look at a number of traditional, tried-and-true figures to help them find stocks that they believe are undervalued at their 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.

TAP currently has a forward P/E ratio of 11.26, while BUD has a forward P/E of 17.40. We also note that TAP has a PEG ratio of 1.16. This figure is similar to the commonly-used P/E ratio, with the PEG ratio also factoring in a company's expected earnings growth rate. BUD currently has a PEG ratio of 1.75.

Another notable valuation metric for TAP is its P/B ratio of 0.99. 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, BUD has a P/B of 1.21.

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

TAP 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 TAP is likely the superior value option right now.


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Molson Coors Beverage Company (TAP) - free report >>

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