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REGN vs. ILMN: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

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Investors with an interest in Medical - Biomedical and Genetics stocks have likely encountered both Regeneron (REGN - Free Report) and Illumina (ILMN - 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 puts an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, while our Style Scores work to identify stocks with specific traits.

Right now, Regeneron is sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Illumina 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 REGN has an improving earnings outlook. 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.

REGN currently has a forward P/E ratio of 15.74, while ILMN has a forward P/E of 44.00. We also note that REGN has a PEG ratio of 1.21. 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. ILMN currently has a PEG ratio of 3.24.

Another notable valuation metric for REGN is its P/B ratio of 2.99. 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, ILMN has a P/B of 11.45.

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

REGN 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 REGN is likely the superior value option right now.

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