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CCU vs. SAM: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

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Investors with an interest in Beverages - Alcohol stocks have likely encountered both Cervecerias Unidas (CCU - Free Report) and Boston Beer (SAM - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks offers value investors a better bang for their buck right now? We'll need to take a closer look.

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 favors stocks with strong earnings estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight companies with specific traits.

Cervecerias Unidas has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Boston Beer has a Zacks Rank of #5 (Strong Sell) right now. This means that CCU's earnings estimate revision activity has been more impressive, so investors should feel comfortable with its improving analyst outlook. But this is just one piece of the puzzle 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.

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.

CCU currently has a forward P/E ratio of 10.97, while SAM has a forward P/E of 29.08. We also note that CCU has a PEG ratio of 0.61. 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. SAM currently has a PEG ratio of 1.09.

Another notable valuation metric for CCU is its P/B ratio of 1.22. 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, SAM has a P/B of 3.48.

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

CCU 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 CCU is likely the superior value option right now.


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The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (SAM) - free report >>

Compania Cervecerias Unidas, S.A. (CCU) - free report >>

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