Investors interested in Agriculture - Operations stocks are likely familiar with Dole (DOLE) and Limoneira (LMNR). But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? Let's take a closer look.
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 puts an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, while our Style Scores work to identify stocks with specific traits.
Right now, Dole is sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy), while Limoneira has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that DOLE has an improving earnings outlook. 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.
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.
DOLE currently has a forward P/E ratio of 13.87, while LMNR has a forward P/E of 96.80. We also note that DOLE has a PEG ratio of 2.71. 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. LMNR currently has a PEG ratio of 6.45.
Another notable valuation metric for DOLE is its P/B ratio of 1.08. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. For comparison, LMNR has a P/B of 2.46.
These are just a few of the metrics contributing to DOLE's Value grade of A and LMNR's Value grade of D.
DOLE 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 DOLE is likely the superior value option right now.
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See This Stock Now for Free >>Dole PLC (DOLE) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Limoneira Co (LMNR) : Free Stock Analysis Report
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