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LDOS vs. LMT: Which Stock Should Value Investors Buy Now?

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Investors interested in stocks from the Aerospace - Defense sector have probably already heard of Leidos (LDOS - Free Report) and Lockheed Martin (LMT - 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 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.

Right now, both Leidos and Lockheed Martin are sporting 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 try to analyze a wide range of traditional figures and metrics to help determine whether a company is undervalued at its 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.

LDOS currently has a forward P/E ratio of 18.44, while LMT has a forward P/E of 22.87. We also note that LDOS has a PEG ratio of 1.47. 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. LMT currently has a PEG ratio of 4.89.

Another notable valuation metric for LDOS is its P/B ratio of 4.93. 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, LMT has a P/B of 23.39.

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

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


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