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ATGE vs. LOPE: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

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Investors looking for stocks in the Schools sector might want to consider either Adtalem Global Education (ATGE - Free Report) or Grand Canyon Education (LOPE - 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.

There are plenty of strategies for discovering value stocks, but we have found that pairing a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system produces the best returns. The proven Zacks Rank emphasizes companies with positive estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight stocks with specific traits.

Right now, Adtalem Global Education is sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy), while Grand Canyon Education has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy). This means that ATGE's earnings estimate revision activity has been more impressive, so investors should feel comfortable with its improving analyst outlook. However, value investors will care about much more than just this.

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.

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.

ATGE currently has a forward P/E ratio of 10.40, while LOPE has a forward P/E of 17.65. We also note that ATGE has a PEG ratio of 0.69. 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. LOPE currently has a PEG ratio of 1.18.

Another notable valuation metric for ATGE is its P/B ratio of 1.38. 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, LOPE has a P/B of 5.64.

Based on these metrics and many more, ATGE holds a Value grade of B, while LOPE has a Value grade of C.

ATGE stands above LOPE thanks to its solid earnings outlook, and based on these valuation figures, we also feel that ATGE is the superior value option right now.


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Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (LOPE) - free report >>

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