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RBC vs. AOS: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

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Investors interested in stocks from the Manufacturing - Electronics sector have probably already heard of Regal Beloit (RBC - Free Report) and A.O. Smith (AOS - Free Report) . But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? 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, Regal Beloit has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while A.O. Smith has a Zacks Rank of #4 (Sell). This means that RBC's earnings estimate revision activity has been more impressive, so investors should feel comfortable with its improving analyst outlook. But this is just one piece of the puzzle 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.

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.

RBC currently has a forward P/E ratio of 20.44, while AOS has a forward P/E of 29.68. We also note that RBC has a PEG ratio of 2.04. 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. AOS currently has a PEG ratio of 3.71.

Another notable valuation metric for RBC is its P/B ratio of 1.64. 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, AOS has a P/B of 6.18.

These metrics, and several others, help RBC earn a Value grade of B, while AOS has been given a Value grade of C.

RBC has seen stronger estimate revision activity and sports more attractive valuation metrics than AOS, so it seems like value investors will conclude that RBC is the superior option right now.


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