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MOS vs. NTR: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

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Investors looking for stocks in the Fertilizers sector might want to consider either Mosaic (MOS - Free Report) or Nutrien (NTR - 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.

Right now, both Mosaic and Nutrien are sporting a Zacks Rank of # 1 (Strong Buy). The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that both of these companies have improving earnings outlooks. But this is just one piece of the puzzle for value investors.

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.

MOS currently has a forward P/E ratio of 6.48, while NTR has a forward P/E of 13.11. We also note that MOS has a PEG ratio of 0.93. 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. NTR currently has a PEG ratio of 1.64.

Another notable valuation metric for MOS is its P/B ratio of 1.14. 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, NTR has a P/B of 1.54.

Based on these metrics and many more, MOS holds a Value grade of A, while NTR has a Value grade of C.

Both MOS and NTR are impressive stocks with solid earnings outlooks, but based on these valuation figures, we feel that MOS is the superior value option right now.


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