Back to top

Image: Bigstock

MFG or NABZY: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Investors looking for stocks in the Banks - Foreign sector might want to consider either Mizuho (MFG - Free Report) or National Australia Bank Ltd. (NABZY - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks is more attractive to value investors? We'll need to take a closer look to find out.

Everyone has their own methods for finding great value opportunities, but our model includes pairing an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system with a strong Zacks Rank. The proven Zacks Rank puts an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, while our Style Scores work to identify stocks with specific traits.

Mizuho and National Australia Bank Ltd. are sporting Zacks Ranks of #2 (Buy) and #3 (Hold), respectively, right now. The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that MFG has an improving earnings outlook. But this is only part of the picture 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.

MFG currently has a forward P/E ratio of 10.20, while NABZY has a forward P/E of 14.40. We also note that MFG has a PEG ratio of 0.75. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. NABZY currently has a PEG ratio of 3.88.

Another notable valuation metric for MFG is its P/B ratio of 0.75. 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 1.70.

These are just a few of the metrics contributing to MFG's Value grade of B and NABZY's Value grade of D.

MFG stands above NABZY thanks to its solid earnings outlook, and based on these valuation figures, we also feel that MFG is the superior value 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