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PRDO vs. LOPE: Which Stock Should Value Investors Buy Now?

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Investors interested in stocks from the Schools sector have probably already heard of Perdoceo Education (PRDO - Free Report) and Grand Canyon Education (LOPE - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks offers value investors a better bang for their buck right now? We'll need to 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.

Currently, Perdoceo Education has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Grand Canyon Education has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). Investors should feel comfortable knowing that PRDO likely has seen a stronger improvement to its earnings outlook than LOPE has recently. 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 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.

PRDO currently has a forward P/E ratio of 8.81, while LOPE has a forward P/E of 16.03. We also note that PRDO has a PEG ratio of 0.59. 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. LOPE currently has a PEG ratio of 1.07.

Another notable valuation metric for PRDO is its P/B ratio of 2.08. 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, LOPE has a P/B of 2.88.

These are just a few of the metrics contributing to PRDO's Value grade of B and LOPE's Value grade of C.

PRDO 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 PRDO is likely the superior value option right now.


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Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (LOPE) - free report >>

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