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FIS or EFX: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

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Investors interested in stocks from the Financial Transaction Services sector have probably already heard of Fidelity National Information Services (FIS - Free Report) and Equifax (EFX - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks offers value investors a better bang for their buck right now? We'll need to 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 proven Zacks Rank emphasizes companies with positive estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight stocks with specific traits.

Currently, Fidelity National Information Services has a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy), while Equifax has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). This system places an emphasis on companies that have seen positive earnings estimate revisions, so investors should feel comfortable knowing that FIS is likely seeing its earnings outlook improve to a greater extent. But this is just one piece of the puzzle 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.

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.

FIS currently has a forward P/E ratio of 16.65, while EFX has a forward P/E of 38.70. We also note that FIS has a PEG ratio of 0.75. 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. EFX currently has a PEG ratio of 2.

Another notable valuation metric for FIS is its P/B ratio of 2.76. 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, EFX has a P/B of 7.45.

These metrics, and several others, help FIS earn a Value grade of B, while EFX has been given a Value grade of D.

FIS 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 FIS is likely the superior value option right now.


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Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (FIS) - free report >>

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