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IKTSY or FDS: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

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Investors interested in Business - Information Services stocks are likely familiar with INTERTEK GP (IKTSY - Free Report) and FactSet Research (FDS - 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.

We have found that the best way to discover great value opportunities is to pair a strong Zacks Rank with a great 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, INTERTEK GP is sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while FactSet Research has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). This means that IKTSY's earnings estimate revision activity has been more impressive, so investors should feel comfortable with its improving analyst outlook. But this is only part of the picture for value investors.

Value investors analyze a variety of traditional, tried-and-true metrics to help find companies that they believe are undervalued at their 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.

IKTSY currently has a forward P/E ratio of 18.62, while FDS has a forward P/E of 26.95. We also note that IKTSY has a PEG ratio of 2.50. 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. FDS currently has a PEG ratio of 2.70.

Another notable valuation metric for IKTSY is its P/B ratio of 5.34. 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, FDS has a P/B of 9.40.

These metrics, and several others, help IKTSY earn a Value grade of B, while FDS has been given a Value grade of D.

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


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