SRCL vs. WCN: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?
Investors interested in stocks from the Waste Removal Services sector have probably already heard of Stericycle (SRCL) and Waste Connections (WCN). But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? Let's take a closer look.
Everyone has their own methods for finding great value opportunities, but our model includes pairing an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system with a strong Zacks Rank. 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.
Stericycle and Waste Connections are sporting Zacks Ranks of #2 (Buy) and #3 (Hold), respectively, right now. This means that SRCL's earnings estimate revision activity has been more impressive, so investors should feel comfortable with its improving analyst outlook. However, value investors will care about much more than just this.
Value investors are also interested in a number of tried-and-true valuation metrics that help show when a company is undervalued at its 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.
SRCL currently has a forward P/E ratio of 23.03, while WCN has a forward P/E of 32.77. We also note that SRCL has a PEG ratio of 2.88. 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. WCN currently has a PEG ratio of 2.99.
Another notable valuation metric for SRCL is its P/B ratio of 1.58. The P/B ratio is used to compare a stock's market value with its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. For comparison, WCN has a P/B of 4.73.
These metrics, and several others, help SRCL earn a Value grade of B, while WCN has been given a Value grade of D.
SRCL stands above WCN thanks to its solid earnings outlook, and based on these valuation figures, we also feel that SRCL is the superior value option right now.
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Stericycle, Inc. (SRCL) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Waste Connections, Inc. (WCN) : Free Stock Analysis Report
