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AEG vs. PUK: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

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Investors looking for stocks in the Insurance - Multi line sector might want to consider either Aegon NV (AEG - Free Report) or Prudential (PUK - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now? Let's take a closer look.

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.

Aegon NV has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Prudential has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now. This system places an emphasis on companies that have seen positive earnings estimate revisions, so investors should feel comfortable knowing that AEG is likely seeing its earnings outlook improve to a greater extent. But this is just one factor that value investors are interested in.

Value investors analyze a variety of traditional, tried-and-true metrics to help find companies 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.

AEG currently has a forward P/E ratio of 7.71, while PUK has a forward P/E of 13.52. We also note that AEG has a PEG ratio of 0.26. 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. PUK currently has a PEG ratio of 0.80.

Another notable valuation metric for AEG is its P/B ratio of 1.44. 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, PUK has a P/B of 1.99.

Based on these metrics and many more, AEG holds a Value grade of B, while PUK has a Value grade of C.

AEG 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 AEG is likely the superior value option right now.


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