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DG vs. TJX: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

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Investors looking for stocks in the Retail - Discount Stores sector might want to consider either Dollar General (DG - Free Report) or TJX (TJX - 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.

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.

Dollar General has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while TJX 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 DG 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.

DG currently has a forward P/E ratio of 20.12, while TJX has a forward P/E of 28.78. We also note that DG has a PEG ratio of 3.02. 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. TJX currently has a PEG ratio of 3.04.

Another notable valuation metric for DG is its P/B ratio of 3.24. 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, TJX has a P/B of 16.88.

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

DG 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 DG is likely the superior value option right now.


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The TJX Companies, Inc. (TJX) - free report >>

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