Back to top

Image: Bigstock

LYG or IBN: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Investors interested in Banks - Foreign stocks are likely familiar with Lloyds (LYG - Free Report) and ICICI Bank Limited (IBN - 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.

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 proven Zacks Rank emphasizes companies with positive estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight stocks with specific traits.

Lloyds and ICICI Bank Limited are sporting Zacks Ranks of #2 (Buy) and #3 (Hold), respectively, right now. This means that LYG's earnings estimate revision activity has been more impressive, so investors should feel comfortable with its improving analyst outlook. But this is just one factor that value investors are interested in.

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.

LYG currently has a forward P/E ratio of 11.73, while IBN has a forward P/E of 19.36. We also note that LYG has a PEG ratio of 0.96. 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. IBN currently has a PEG ratio of 2.08.

Another notable valuation metric for LYG is its P/B ratio of 0.97. 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, IBN has a P/B of 2.97.

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

LYG 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 LYG 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:


ICICI Bank Limited (IBN) - free report >>

Lloyds Banking Group PLC (LYG) - free report >>

Published in