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IQV vs. WAT: Which Stock Should Value Investors Buy Now?
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Investors interested in Medical - Instruments stocks are likely familiar with IQVIA Holdings (IQV - Free Report) and Waters (WAT - Free Report) . But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? Let's take a closer look.
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 Zacks Rank favors stocks with strong earnings estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight companies with specific traits.
Right now, IQVIA Holdings is sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Waters has a Zacks Rank of #4 (Sell). This means that IQV'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.
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.
IQV currently has a forward P/E ratio of 22.16, while WAT has a forward P/E of 25.97. We also note that IQV has a PEG ratio of 2.05. This figure is similar to the commonly-used P/E ratio, with the PEG ratio also factoring in a company's expected earnings growth rate. WAT currently has a PEG ratio of 4.90.
Another notable valuation metric for IQV is its P/B ratio of 6.65. 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, WAT has a P/B of 14.50.
Based on these metrics and many more, IQV holds a Value grade of B, while WAT has a Value grade of D.
IQV has seen stronger estimate revision activity and sports more attractive valuation metrics than WAT, so it seems like value investors will conclude that IQV is the superior option right now.
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IQV vs. WAT: Which Stock Should Value Investors Buy Now?
Investors interested in Medical - Instruments stocks are likely familiar with IQVIA Holdings (IQV - Free Report) and Waters (WAT - Free Report) . But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? Let's take a closer look.
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 Zacks Rank favors stocks with strong earnings estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight companies with specific traits.
Right now, IQVIA Holdings is sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Waters has a Zacks Rank of #4 (Sell). This means that IQV'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.
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.
IQV currently has a forward P/E ratio of 22.16, while WAT has a forward P/E of 25.97. We also note that IQV has a PEG ratio of 2.05. This figure is similar to the commonly-used P/E ratio, with the PEG ratio also factoring in a company's expected earnings growth rate. WAT currently has a PEG ratio of 4.90.
Another notable valuation metric for IQV is its P/B ratio of 6.65. 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, WAT has a P/B of 14.50.
Based on these metrics and many more, IQV holds a Value grade of B, while WAT has a Value grade of D.
IQV has seen stronger estimate revision activity and sports more attractive valuation metrics than WAT, so it seems like value investors will conclude that IQV is the superior option right now.