Back to top

Image: Bigstock

LH or COO: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Investors interested in Medical - Dental Supplies stocks are likely familiar with Labcorp (LH - Free Report) and The Cooper Companies (COO - 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 puts an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, while our Style Scores work to identify stocks with specific traits.

Both Labcorp and The Cooper Companies have a Zacks Rank of # 2 (Buy) right now. The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that both of these companies have improving earnings outlooks. But this is just one piece of the puzzle for value investors.

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.

LH currently has a forward P/E ratio of 14.80, while COO has a forward P/E of 28.78. We also note that LH has a PEG ratio of 1.65. 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. COO currently has a PEG ratio of 2.56.

Another notable valuation metric for LH is its P/B ratio of 2.36. 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, COO has a P/B of 2.62.

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

Both LH and COO are impressive stocks with solid earnings outlooks, but based on these valuation figures, we feel that LH is the superior value option right now.


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:


Labcorp (LH) - free report >>

The Cooper Companies, Inc. (COO) - free report >>

Published in