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DQ vs. KWR: Which Stock Should Value Investors Buy Now?

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Investors with an interest in Chemical - Specialty stocks have likely encountered both Daqo New Energy (DQ - Free Report) and Quaker Chemical (KWR - Free Report) . But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? Let's take a closer look.

The best way to find great value stocks is to pair a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system. The Zacks Rank favors stocks with strong earnings estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight companies with specific traits.

Daqo New Energy has a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy), while Quaker Chemical has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now. Investors should feel comfortable knowing that DQ likely has seen a stronger improvement to its earnings outlook than KWR has recently. However, value investors will care about much more than just this.

Value investors are also interested in a number of tried-and-true valuation metrics that help show when 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.

DQ currently has a forward P/E ratio of 5.96, while KWR has a forward P/E of 29.41. We also note that DQ has a PEG ratio of 0.21. 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. KWR currently has a PEG ratio of 2.67.

Another notable valuation metric for DQ is its P/B ratio of 0.49. 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, KWR has a P/B of 5.41.

Based on these metrics and many more, DQ holds a Value grade of A, while KWR has a Value grade of D.

DQ has seen stronger estimate revision activity and sports more attractive valuation metrics than KWR, so it seems like value investors will conclude that DQ is the superior option right now.


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