Investors with an interest in Medical Services stocks have likely encountered both Pediatrix Medical Group (MD) and Avantor, Inc. (AVTR). But which of these two stocks is more attractive to value investors? We'll need to take a closer look to find out.
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 is a proven strategy that targets companies with positive earnings estimate revision trends, while our Style Scores work to grade companies based on specific traits.
Currently, Pediatrix Medical Group has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Avantor, Inc. has a Zacks Rank of #4 (Sell). The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that MD 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 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.
MD currently has a forward P/E ratio of 8.44, while AVTR has a forward P/E of 19.43. We also note that MD has a PEG ratio of 1.17. 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. AVTR currently has a PEG ratio of 3.44.
Another notable valuation metric for MD is its P/B ratio of 1.46. 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, AVTR has a P/B of 2.65.
These metrics, and several others, help MD earn a Value grade of A, while AVTR has been given a Value grade of C.
MD 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 MD is likely the superior value option right now.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
