PEGI vs. VST: Which Stock Should Value Investors Buy Now?
Investors with an interest in Utility - Electric Power stocks have likely encountered both Pattern Energy (PEGI) and Vistra Energy Corp. (VST). But which of these two stocks is more attractive to value investors? We'll need to take a closer look to find out.
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, both Pattern Energy and Vistra Energy Corp. are holding a Zacks Rank of # 2 (Buy). This means that both companies have witnessed positive earnings estimate revisions, so investors should feel comfortable knowing that both of these stocks have an improving earnings outlook. However, value investors will care about much more than just this.
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.
PEGI currently has a forward P/E ratio of 14.05, while VST has a forward P/E of 17.76. We also note that PEGI has a PEG ratio of 0.71. 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. VST currently has a PEG ratio of 1.58.
Another notable valuation metric for PEGI is its P/B ratio of 0.73. Investors use the P/B ratio to look at a stock's market value versus its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. By comparison, VST has a P/B of 1.66.
Based on these metrics and many more, PEGI holds a Value grade of B, while VST has a Value grade of C.
Both PEGI and VST are impressive stocks with solid earnings outlooks, but based on these valuation figures, we feel that PEGI is the superior value option right now.
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Pattern Energy Group Inc. (PEGI) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Vistra Energy Corp. (VST) : Free Stock Analysis Report
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