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HCKT or IT: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

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Investors interested in Consulting Services stocks are likely familiar with Hackett Group (HCKT - Free Report) and Gartner (IT - 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 proven Zacks Rank emphasizes companies with positive estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight stocks with specific traits.

Hackett Group and Gartner are sporting Zacks Ranks of #2 (Buy) and #3 (Hold), respectively, right now. The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that HCKT has an improving earnings outlook. But this is just one factor that value investors are interested in.

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.

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.

HCKT currently has a forward P/E ratio of 12.79, while IT has a forward P/E of 31.92. We also note that HCKT has a PEG ratio of 0.95. This popular figure is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also considers a company's expected EPS growth rate. IT currently has a PEG ratio of 4.81.

Another notable valuation metric for HCKT is its P/B ratio of 3.02. 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, IT has a P/B of 9.65.

Based on these metrics and many more, HCKT holds a Value grade of B, while IT has a Value grade of D.

HCKT 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 HCKT is likely the superior value option right now.


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