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AUDC or ANET: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

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Investors looking for stocks in the Communication - Components sector might want to consider either AudioCodes (AUDC - Free Report) or Arista Networks (ANET - Free Report) . But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? Let's take a closer look.

There are plenty of strategies for discovering value stocks, but we have found that pairing a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system produces the best returns. The proven Zacks Rank emphasizes companies with positive estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight stocks with specific traits.

Right now, AudioCodes is sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Arista Networks has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). This means that AUDC's earnings estimate revision activity has been more impressive, so investors should feel comfortable with its improving analyst outlook. But this is just one piece of the puzzle 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.

Our Value category highlights undervalued companies by looking at a variety of key metrics, including the popular P/E ratio, as well as the P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a variety of other fundamentals that have been used by value investors for years.

AUDC currently has a forward P/E ratio of 11.58, while ANET has a forward P/E of 37.21. We also note that AUDC has a PEG ratio of 0.47. 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. ANET currently has a PEG ratio of 2.13.

Another notable valuation metric for AUDC is its P/B ratio of 2.11. 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, ANET has a P/B of 11.97.

These metrics, and several others, help AUDC earn a Value grade of B, while ANET has been given a Value grade of F.

AUDC 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 AUDC is likely the superior value option right now.


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