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HELE or EL: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

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Investors with an interest in Cosmetics stocks have likely encountered both Helen of Troy (HELE - Free Report) and Estee Lauder (EL - Free Report) . But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? Let's take a closer look.

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 favors stocks with strong earnings estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight companies with specific traits.

Right now, Helen of Troy is sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Estee Lauder 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 HELE has an improving earnings outlook. But this is only part of the picture 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.

The Style Score Value grade factors in a variety of key fundamental metrics, including the popular P/E ratio, P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a number of other key stats that are commonly used by value investors.

HELE currently has a forward P/E ratio of 11.98, while EL has a forward P/E of 48.80. We also note that HELE has a PEG ratio of 1.50. 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. EL currently has a PEG ratio of 5.31.

Another notable valuation metric for HELE is its P/B ratio of 1.84. 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, EL has a P/B of 14.66.

These are just a few of the metrics contributing to HELE's Value grade of B and EL's Value grade of D.

HELE is currently sporting an improving earnings outlook, which makes it stick out in our Zacks Rank model. And, based on the above valuation metrics, we feel that HELE is likely the superior value option right now.


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The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (EL) - free report >>

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