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STRA vs. APEI: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

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Investors interested in Schools stocks are likely familiar with Strategic Education (STRA - Free Report) and American Public Education (APEI - 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 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.

Right now, both Strategic Education and American Public Education are sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy). The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that both of these companies have improving earnings outlooks. 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.

STRA currently has a forward P/E ratio of 11.82, while APEI has a forward P/E of 24.45. We also note that STRA has a PEG ratio of 0.79. 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. APEI currently has a PEG ratio of 1.63.

Another notable valuation metric for STRA is its P/B ratio of 1.14. 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, APEI has a P/B of 3.57.

Based on these metrics and many more, STRA holds a Value grade of B, while APEI has a Value grade of D.

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

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