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EGHT vs. FFIV: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

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Investors looking for stocks in the Internet - Software sector might want to consider either 8x8 (EGHT - Free Report) or F5 Networks (FFIV - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now? Let's take a closer look.

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 puts an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, while our Style Scores work to identify stocks with specific traits.

8x8 has a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy), while F5 Networks has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now. This system places an emphasis on companies that have seen positive earnings estimate revisions, so investors should feel comfortable knowing that EGHT is likely seeing its earnings outlook improve to a greater extent. However, value investors will care about much more than just this.

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 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.

EGHT currently has a forward P/E ratio of 6.31, while FFIV has a forward P/E of 13.50. We also note that EGHT has a PEG ratio of 0.24. 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. FFIV currently has a PEG ratio of 2.48.

Another notable valuation metric for EGHT is its P/B ratio of 3.23. 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, FFIV has a P/B of 3.54.

These metrics, and several others, help EGHT earn a Value grade of B, while FFIV has been given a Value grade of C.

EGHT 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 EGHT is likely the superior value option right now.


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