Back to top

Image: Bigstock

MFG vs. NABZY: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Investors interested in stocks from the Banks - Foreign sector have probably already heard of Mizuho (MFG - Free Report) and National Australia Bank Ltd. (NABZY - 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.

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 is a proven strategy that targets companies with positive earnings estimate revision trends, while our Style Scores work to grade companies based on specific traits.

Mizuho and National Australia Bank Ltd. are sporting Zacks Ranks of #2 (Buy) and #3 (Hold), respectively, right now. This system places an emphasis on companies that have seen positive earnings estimate revisions, so investors should feel comfortable knowing that MFG is likely seeing its earnings outlook improve to a greater extent. But this is just one piece of the puzzle for value investors.

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.

MFG currently has a forward P/E ratio of 11.22, while NABZY has a forward P/E of 14.54. We also note that MFG has a PEG ratio of 0.83. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. NABZY currently has a PEG ratio of 3.92.

Another notable valuation metric for MFG is its P/B ratio of 0.76. Investors use the P/B ratio to look at a stock's market value versus its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. By comparison, NABZY has a P/B of 1.72.

Based on these metrics and many more, MFG holds a Value grade of B, while NABZY has a Value grade of F.

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


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


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


Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. (MFG) - free report >>

National Australia Bank Ltd. (NABZY) - free report >>

Published in