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HSC vs. SMGZY: Which Stock Should Value Investors Buy Now?

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Investors looking for stocks in the Technology Services sector might want to consider either Harsco or Smiths Group PLC (SMGZY - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks is more attractive to value investors? We'll need to take a closer look to find out.

The best way to find great value stocks is to pair a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system. 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.

Currently, Harsco has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Smiths Group PLC has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that HSC has an improving earnings 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.

HSC currently has a forward P/E ratio of 25.46, while SMGZY has a forward P/E of 26.04. We also note that HSC has a PEG ratio of 2.55. 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. SMGZY currently has a PEG ratio of 8.80.

Another notable valuation metric for HSC is its P/B ratio of 2.01. 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, SMGZY has a P/B of 2.82.

Based on these metrics and many more, HSC holds a Value grade of B, while SMGZY has a Value grade of C.

HSC stands above SMGZY thanks to its solid earnings outlook, and based on these valuation figures, we also feel that HSC is the superior value option right now.


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