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VWDRY or ETN: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

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Investors with an interest in Manufacturing - Electronics stocks have likely encountered both Vestas Wind Systems AS (VWDRY - Free Report) and Eaton (ETN - 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 Zacks Rank favors stocks with strong earnings estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight companies with specific traits.

Right now, Vestas Wind Systems AS is sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Eaton has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). This means that VWDRY's earnings estimate revision activity has been more impressive, so investors should feel comfortable with its improving analyst outlook. 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.

VWDRY currently has a forward P/E ratio of 19.08, while ETN has a forward P/E of 28.04. We also note that VWDRY has a PEG ratio of 1.22. 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. ETN currently has a PEG ratio of 2.57.

Another notable valuation metric for VWDRY is its P/B ratio of 5.6. 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, ETN has a P/B of 7.46.

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

VWDRY 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 VWDRY is likely the superior value option right now.

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