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SWK or LECO: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

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Investors looking for stocks in the Manufacturing - Tools & Related Products sector might want to consider either Stanley Black & Decker (SWK - Free Report) or Lincoln Electric Holdings (LECO - Free Report) . But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? Let's take a closer look.

Everyone has their own methods for finding great value opportunities, but our model includes pairing an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system with a strong Zacks Rank. The proven Zacks Rank emphasizes companies with positive estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight stocks with specific traits.

Right now, Stanley Black & Decker is sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Lincoln Electric Holdings 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 SWK has an improving earnings outlook. But this is only part of the picture for value investors.

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.

SWK currently has a forward P/E ratio of 20.25, while LECO has a forward P/E of 24.96. We also note that SWK has a PEG ratio of 1.52. 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. LECO currently has a PEG ratio of 1.66.

Another notable valuation metric for SWK is its P/B ratio of 1.96. 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, LECO has a P/B of 9.91.

These are just a few of the metrics contributing to SWK's Value grade of B and LECO's Value grade of D.

SWK stands above LECO thanks to its solid earnings outlook, and based on these valuation figures, we also feel that SWK is the superior value option right now.

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