Back to top

Image: Bigstock

LDOS or HWM: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Investors looking for stocks in the Aerospace - Defense sector might want to consider either Leidos (LDOS - Free Report) or Howmet (HWM - 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 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.

Currently, both Leidos and Howmet are holding a Zacks Rank of # 2 (Buy). Investors should feel comfortable knowing that both of these stocks have an improving earnings outlook since the Zacks Rank favors companies that have witnessed positive analyst estimate revisions. 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 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.

LDOS currently has a forward P/E ratio of 14.52, while HWM has a forward P/E of 35.44. We also note that LDOS has a PEG ratio of 0.98. 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. HWM currently has a PEG ratio of 1.27.

Another notable valuation metric for LDOS is its P/B ratio of 4.27. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. For comparison, HWM has a P/B of 10.34.

Based on these metrics and many more, LDOS holds a Value grade of A, while HWM has a Value grade of D.

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


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


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


Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS) - free report >>

Howmet Aerospace Inc. (HWM) - free report >>

Published in