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ATTO vs. ADP: Which Stock Should Value Investors Buy Now?

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Investors with an interest in Outsourcing stocks have likely encountered both Atento and Automatic Data Processing (ADP - 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.

Atento has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Automatic Data Processing has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now. This means that ATTO's earnings estimate revision activity has been more impressive, so investors should feel comfortable with its improving analyst outlook. But this is just one piece of the puzzle for value investors.

Value investors also tend to look at a number of traditional, tried-and-true figures to help them find stocks that they believe are undervalued at their current share price levels.

The Style Score Value grade factors in a variety of key fundamental metrics, including the popular P/E ratio, P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a number of other key stats that are commonly used by value investors.

ATTO currently has a forward P/E ratio of 14.32, while ADP has a forward P/E of 28.39. We also note that ATTO has a PEG ratio of 1.43. 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. ADP currently has a PEG ratio of 2.18.

Another notable valuation metric for ATTO is its P/B ratio of 0.87. 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, ADP has a P/B of 14.12.

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

ATTO 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 ATTO is likely the superior value option right now.


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