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HIW vs. GLPI: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

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Investors interested in REIT and Equity Trust - Other stocks are likely familiar with Highwoods Properties (HIW - Free Report) and Gaming and Leisure Properties (GLPI - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now? 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.

Highwoods Properties has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Gaming and Leisure Properties has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now. This means that HIW'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.

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.

HIW currently has a forward P/E ratio of 12.25, while GLPI has a forward P/E of 13.68. We also note that HIW has a PEG ratio of 3.20. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. GLPI currently has a PEG ratio of 4.01.

Another notable valuation metric for HIW is its P/B ratio of 2.02. 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, GLPI has a P/B of 4.10.

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

HIW sticks out from GLPI in both our Zacks Rank and Style Scores models, so value investors will likely feel that HIW is the better option right now.


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Highwoods Properties, Inc. (HIW) - free report >>

Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (GLPI) - free report >>

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