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J or TRI: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

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Investors interested in stocks from the Technology Services sector have probably already heard of Jacobs Solutions (J - Free Report) and Thomson Reuters (TRI - 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.

Jacobs Solutions has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Thomson Reuters has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now. This system places an emphasis on companies that have seen positive earnings estimate revisions, so investors should feel comfortable knowing that J is likely seeing its earnings outlook improve to a greater extent. However, value investors will care about much more than just this.

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.

J currently has a forward P/E ratio of 17.01, while TRI has a forward P/E of 40.76. We also note that J has a PEG ratio of 1.46. 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. TRI currently has a PEG ratio of 3.74.

Another notable valuation metric for J is its P/B ratio of 2.61. The P/B is a method of comparing a stock's market value to its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. By comparison, TRI has a P/B of 6.08.

Based on these metrics and many more, J holds a Value grade of A, while TRI has a Value grade of D.

J sticks out from TRI in both our Zacks Rank and Style Scores models, so value investors will likely feel that J is the better option right now.


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