Back to top

Image: Bigstock

NI vs. WEC: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Investors interested in stocks from the Utility - Electric Power sector have probably already heard of NiSource (NI - Free Report) and WEC Energy Group (WEC - Free Report) . But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? Let's 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.

NiSource has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while WEC Energy Group has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now. The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that NI has an improving earnings outlook. However, value investors will care about much more than just this.

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 Style Score Value grade factors in a variety of key fundamental metrics, including the popular P/E ratio, P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a number of other key stats that are commonly used by value investors.

NI currently has a forward P/E ratio of 16.16, while WEC has a forward P/E of 16.78. We also note that NI has a PEG ratio of 2.69. 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. WEC currently has a PEG ratio of 2.85.

Another notable valuation metric for NI is its P/B ratio of 1.18. 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, WEC has a P/B of 2.15.

These are just a few of the metrics contributing to NI's Value grade of B and WEC's Value grade of C.

NI 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 NI is likely the superior value option right now.


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


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


NiSource, Inc (NI) - free report >>

WEC Energy Group, Inc. (WEC) - free report >>

Published in