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ECVT or PPG: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

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Investors with an interest in Chemical - Specialty stocks have likely encountered both Ecovyst (ECVT - Free Report) and PPG Industries (PPG - Free Report) . But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? Let's take a closer look.

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

Ecovyst has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while PPG Industries has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now. Investors should feel comfortable knowing that ECVT likely has seen a stronger improvement to its earnings outlook than PPG has recently. But this is only part of the picture for value investors.

Value investors also try to analyze a wide range of traditional figures and metrics to help determine whether a company is undervalued at its 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.

ECVT currently has a forward P/E ratio of 12.37, while PPG has a forward P/E of 14.23. We also note that ECVT has a PEG ratio of 0.57. 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. PPG currently has a PEG ratio of 2.32.

Another notable valuation metric for ECVT is its P/B ratio of 1.48. The P/B is a method of comparing a stock's market value to its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. By comparison, PPG has a P/B of 3.27.

These metrics, and several others, help ECVT earn a Value grade of B, while PPG has been given a Value grade of C.

ECVT 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 ECVT is likely the superior value option right now.


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