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RCL vs. MCS: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

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Investors interested in Leisure and Recreation Services stocks are likely familiar with Royal Caribbean (RCL - Free Report) and Marcus (MCS - 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.

Currently, Royal Caribbean has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Marcus has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). This system places an emphasis on companies that have seen positive earnings estimate revisions, so investors should feel comfortable knowing that RCL is likely seeing its earnings outlook improve to a greater extent. But this is just one piece of the puzzle 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.

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.

RCL currently has a forward P/E ratio of 12.60, while MCS has a forward P/E of 22.05. We also note that RCL has a PEG ratio of 0.79. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. MCS currently has a PEG ratio of 1.47.

Another notable valuation metric for RCL is its P/B ratio of 2.18. The P/B ratio is used to compare a stock's market value with its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. For comparison, MCS has a P/B of 2.33.

These metrics, and several others, help RCL earn a Value grade of A, while MCS has been given a Value grade of C.

RCL 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 RCL is likely the superior value option right now.


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Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) - free report >>

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