Back to top

Image: Bigstock

ROP or JKHY: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Investors looking for stocks in the Computers - IT Services sector might want to consider either Roper Technologies (ROP - Free Report) or Jack Henry (JKHY - 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 proven Zacks Rank emphasizes companies with positive estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight stocks with specific traits.

Both Roper Technologies and Jack Henry have a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) right now. This system places an emphasis on companies that have seen positive earnings estimate revisions, so investors should feel comfortable knowing that these stocks have improving earnings outlooks. But this is just one factor that value investors are interested in.

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.

ROP currently has a forward P/E ratio of 15.25, while JKHY has a forward P/E of 20.00. We also note that ROP has a PEG ratio of 1.53. 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. JKHY currently has a PEG ratio of 2.00.

Another notable valuation metric for ROP is its P/B ratio of 1.82. 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, JKHY has a P/B of 4.55.

These metrics, and several others, help ROP earn a Value grade of B, while JKHY has been given a Value grade of C.

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

Published in