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TOPCF or SSTI: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

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Investors with an interest in Technology Services stocks have likely encountered both TOPCON CORP (TOPCF - Free Report) and ShotSpotter (SSTI - 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 proven Zacks Rank puts an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, while our Style Scores work to identify stocks with specific traits.

Both TOPCON CORP and ShotSpotter have a Zacks Rank of # 2 (Buy) right now. This system places an emphasis on companies that have seen positive earnings estimate revisions, so investors should feel comfortable knowing that these stocks have improving earnings outlooks. But this is just one factor that value investors are interested in.

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.

TOPCF currently has a forward P/E ratio of 13.87, while SSTI has a forward P/E of 126.24. We also note that TOPCF has a PEG ratio of 0.69. 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. SSTI currently has a PEG ratio of 5.05.

Another notable valuation metric for TOPCF is its P/B ratio of 1.31. 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, SSTI has a P/B of 13.51.

Based on these metrics and many more, TOPCF holds a Value grade of A, while SSTI has a Value grade of F.

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


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