JAZZ or ZTS: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?
Investors looking for stocks in the Medical - Drugs sector might want to consider either Jazz Pharmaceuticals (JAZZ) or Zoetis (ZTS). But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now? Let's take a closer look.
There are plenty of strategies for discovering value stocks, but we have found that pairing a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system produces the best returns. The proven Zacks Rank emphasizes companies with positive estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight stocks with specific traits.
Currently, Jazz Pharmaceuticals has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Zoetis has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). This means that JAZZ's earnings estimate revision activity has been more impressive, so investors should feel comfortable with its improving analyst outlook. But this is only part of the picture 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 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.
JAZZ currently has a forward P/E ratio of 6.92, while ZTS has a forward P/E of 32.23. We also note that JAZZ has a PEG ratio of 0.77. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. ZTS currently has a PEG ratio of 2.81.
Another notable valuation metric for JAZZ is its P/B ratio of 2.34. 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, ZTS has a P/B of 17.46.
These metrics, and several others, help JAZZ earn a Value grade of A, while ZTS has been given a Value grade of D.
JAZZ has seen stronger estimate revision activity and sports more attractive valuation metrics than ZTS, so it seems like value investors will conclude that JAZZ is the superior option right now.
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Jazz Pharmaceuticals PLC (JAZZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Zoetis Inc. (ZTS) : Free Stock Analysis Report
