Back to top

Image: Bigstock

FOUR vs. V: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Investors with an interest in Financial Transaction Services stocks have likely encountered both Shift4 Payments (FOUR - Free Report) and Visa (V - Free Report) . But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? 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 Zacks Rank is a proven strategy that targets companies with positive earnings estimate revision trends, while our Style Scores work to grade companies based on specific traits.

Shift4 Payments and Visa are sporting Zacks Ranks of #2 (Buy) and #3 (Hold), respectively, right now. This system places an emphasis on companies that have seen positive earnings estimate revisions, so investors should feel comfortable knowing that FOUR is likely seeing its earnings outlook improve to a greater extent. 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.

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.

FOUR currently has a forward P/E ratio of 18.66, while V has a forward P/E of 27.01. We also note that FOUR has a PEG ratio of 0.72. 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. V currently has a PEG ratio of 1.87.

Another notable valuation metric for FOUR is its P/B ratio of 6.94. 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, V has a P/B of 12.63.

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

FOUR 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 FOUR is likely the superior value option right now.


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:


Visa Inc. (V) - free report >>

Shift4 Payments, Inc. (FOUR) - free report >>

Published in