Back to top

Image: Bigstock

ADBE or CDNS: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Investors with an interest in Computer - Software stocks have likely encountered both Adobe Systems (ADBE - Free Report) and Cadence Design Systems (CDNS - 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.

There are plenty of strategies for discovering value stocks, but we have found that pairing a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system produces the best returns. The Zacks Rank favors stocks with strong earnings estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight companies with specific traits.

Right now, Adobe Systems is sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Cadence Design Systems has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that ADBE has an improving earnings outlook. However, value investors will care about much more than just this.

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.

Our Value category grades stocks based on a number of key metrics, including the tried-and-true P/E ratio, the P/S ratio, earnings yield, and cash flow per share, as well as a variety of other fundamentals that value investors frequently use.

ADBE currently has a forward P/E ratio of 11.13, while CDNS has a forward P/E of 52.46. We also note that ADBE has a PEG ratio of 0.83. 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. CDNS currently has a PEG ratio of 3.87.

Another notable valuation metric for ADBE is its P/B ratio of 9.27. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. For comparison, CDNS has a P/B of 17.5.

These metrics, and several others, help ADBE earn a Value grade of B, while CDNS has been given a Value grade of F.

ADBE 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 ADBE is likely the superior value option right now.

Zacks' 7 Best Strong Buy Stocks (New Research Report)

Valued at $99, click below to receive our just-released report predicting the 7 stocks that will soar highest in the coming month.

Click Here, It's Really Free

Published in