Back to top

Image: Bigstock

BAYRY or RHHBY: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Investors with an interest in Large Cap Pharmaceuticals stocks have likely encountered both Bayer Aktiengesellschaft (BAYRY - Free Report) and Roche Holding AG (RHHBY - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now? 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.

Right now, Bayer Aktiengesellschaft is sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Roche Holding AG has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). Investors should feel comfortable knowing that BAYRY likely has seen a stronger improvement to its earnings outlook than RHHBY has recently. But this is only part of the picture for value investors.

Value investors are also interested in a number of tried-and-true valuation metrics that help show when 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.

BAYRY currently has a forward P/E ratio of 8.27, while RHHBY has a forward P/E of 15.62. We also note that BAYRY has a PEG ratio of 3.31. 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. RHHBY currently has a PEG ratio of 4.23.

Another notable valuation metric for BAYRY is its P/B ratio of 1.37. Investors use the P/B ratio to look at a stock's market value versus its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. By comparison, RHHBY has a P/B of 7.17.

Based on these metrics and many more, BAYRY holds a Value grade of A, while RHHBY has a Value grade of C.

BAYRY 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 BAYRY 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