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LTHM vs. LIN: Which Stock Should Value Investors Buy Now?

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Investors interested in stocks from the Chemical - Specialty sector have probably already heard of Livent and Linde (LIN - 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 proven Zacks Rank emphasizes companies with positive estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight stocks with specific traits.

Livent and Linde are sporting Zacks Ranks of #2 (Buy) and #3 (Hold), respectively, right now. The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that LTHM has an improving earnings outlook. But this is only part of the picture 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.

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.

LTHM currently has a forward P/E ratio of 13.74, while LIN has a forward P/E of 27. We also note that LTHM has a PEG ratio of 0.45. 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. LIN currently has a PEG ratio of 2.70.

Another notable valuation metric for LTHM is its P/B ratio of 3.27. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. For comparison, LIN has a P/B of 4.45.

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

LTHM 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 LTHM is likely the superior value option right now.


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