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MFG or IBN: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

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Investors interested in stocks from the Banks - Foreign sector have probably already heard of Mizuho (MFG - Free Report) and ICICI Bank Limited (IBN - 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.

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

Currently, both Mizuho and ICICI Bank Limited are holding a Zacks Rank of # 2 (Buy). This means that both companies have witnessed positive earnings estimate revisions, so investors should feel comfortable knowing that both of these stocks have an improving earnings outlook. But this is just one piece of the puzzle for value investors.

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.

MFG currently has a forward P/E ratio of 11.54, while IBN has a forward P/E of 19.18. We also note that MFG has a PEG ratio of 0.85. 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. IBN currently has a PEG ratio of 2.47.

Another notable valuation metric for MFG is its P/B ratio of 0.79. Investors use the P/B ratio to look at a stock's market value versus its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. By comparison, IBN has a P/B of 3.13.

Based on these metrics and many more, MFG holds a Value grade of B, while IBN has a Value grade of C.

Both MFG and IBN are impressive stocks with solid earnings outlooks, but based on these valuation figures, we feel that MFG is the superior value option right now.


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ICICI Bank Limited (IBN) - free report >>

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