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RL vs. VFC: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

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Investors interested in stocks from the Textile - Apparel sector have probably already heard of Ralph Lauren (RL - Free Report) and V.F. (VFC - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks is more attractive to value investors? We'll need to take a closer look to find out.

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, both Ralph Lauren and V.F. are sporting a Zacks Rank of # 2 (Buy). Investors should feel comfortable knowing that both of these stocks have an improving earnings outlook since the Zacks Rank favors companies that have witnessed positive analyst estimate revisions. But this is just one piece of the puzzle for value investors.

Value investors analyze a variety of traditional, tried-and-true metrics to help find companies that they believe are undervalued at their 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.

RL currently has a forward P/E ratio of 17.25, while VFC has a forward P/E of 21.63. We also note that RL has a PEG ratio of 1.67. 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. VFC currently has a PEG ratio of 1.94.

Another notable valuation metric for RL is its P/B ratio of 2.72. 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, VFC has a P/B of 7.64.

These metrics, and several others, help RL earn a Value grade of A, while VFC has been given a Value grade of D.

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


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