AVA vs. MGEE: Which Stock Should Value Investors Buy Now?
Investors interested in Utility - Electric Power stocks are likely familiar with Avista (AVA) and MGE (MGEE). But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now? 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 emphasizes companies with positive estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight stocks with specific traits.
Right now, Avista is sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while MGE 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 AVA has an improving earnings outlook. However, value investors will care about much more than just this.
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.
Our Value category grades stocks based on a number of key metrics, including the tried-and-true P/E ratio, the P/S ratio, earnings yield, and cash flow per share, as well as a variety of other fundamentals that value investors frequently use.
AVA currently has a forward P/E ratio of 21.92, while MGEE has a forward P/E of 24.69. We also note that AVA has a PEG ratio of 3.79. 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. MGEE currently has a PEG ratio of 4.07.
Another notable valuation metric for AVA is its P/B ratio of 1.37. 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, MGEE has a P/B of 2.66.
These metrics, and several others, help AVA earn a Value grade of B, while MGEE has been given a Value grade of D.
AVA stands above MGEE thanks to its solid earnings outlook, and based on these valuation figures, we also feel that AVA is the superior value option right now.
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
Avista Corporation (AVA) : Free Stock Analysis Report
MGE Energy Inc. (MGEE) : Free Stock Analysis Report
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
