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AMED vs. USPH: Which Stock Should Value Investors Buy Now?

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Investors interested in Medical - Outpatient and Home Healthcare stocks are likely familiar with Amedisys (AMED - Free Report) and U.S. Physical Therapy (USPH - 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.

The best way to find great value stocks is to pair a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive 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.

Right now, Amedisys is sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while U.S. Physical Therapy has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that AMED has an improving earnings 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.

AMED currently has a forward P/E ratio of 21.27, while USPH has a forward P/E of 32.44. We also note that AMED has a PEG ratio of 2.38. 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. USPH currently has a PEG ratio of 3.58.

Another notable valuation metric for AMED is its P/B ratio of 2.78. 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, USPH has a P/B of 2.89.

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

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


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Amedisys, Inc. (AMED) - free report >>

U.S. Physical Therapy, Inc. (USPH) - free report >>

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