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JBTM or SYM: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

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Investors interested in Technology Services stocks are likely familiar with JBT Marel (JBTM - Free Report) and Symbotic Inc. (SYM - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks offers value investors a better bang for their buck right now? We'll need to 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 proven Zacks Rank emphasizes companies with positive estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight stocks with specific traits.

Right now, both JBT Marel and Symbotic Inc. are sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy). This system places an emphasis on companies that have seen positive earnings estimate revisions, so investors should feel comfortable knowing that these stocks have improving earnings outlooks. But this is just one piece of the puzzle 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.

JBTM currently has a forward P/E ratio of 23.09, while SYM has a forward P/E of 216.67. We also note that JBTM has a PEG ratio of 2.08. 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. SYM currently has a PEG ratio of 7.22.

Another notable valuation metric for JBTM is its P/B ratio of 1.66. 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, SYM has a P/B of 69.01.

These metrics, and several others, help JBTM earn a Value grade of B, while SYM has been given a Value grade of D.

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


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