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VEOEY or AWK: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

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Investors looking for stocks in the Utility - Water Supply sector might want to consider either Veolia Environnement SA (VEOEY - Free Report) or American Water Works (AWK - Free Report) . But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? 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 proven Zacks Rank puts an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, while our Style Scores work to identify stocks with specific traits.

Veolia Environnement SA and American Water Works are sporting Zacks Ranks of #1 (Strong Buy) and #4 (Sell), respectively, right now. This means that VEOEY's earnings estimate revision activity has been more impressive, so investors should feel comfortable with its improving analyst outlook. But this is just one factor that value investors are interested in.

Value investors also tend to look at a number of traditional, tried-and-true figures to help them find stocks that they believe are undervalued at their 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.

VEOEY currently has a forward P/E ratio of 8.49, while AWK has a forward P/E of 30.58. We also note that VEOEY has a PEG ratio of 0.73. 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. AWK currently has a PEG ratio of 3.72.

Another notable valuation metric for VEOEY is its P/B ratio of 1.40. 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, AWK has a P/B of 2.97.

These metrics, and several others, help VEOEY earn a Value grade of A, while AWK has been given a Value grade of D.

VEOEY 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 VEOEY is likely the superior value option right now.


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American Water Works Company, Inc. (AWK) - free report >>

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