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MGP vs. HIW: Which Stock Should Value Investors Buy Now?

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Investors interested in REIT and Equity Trust - Other stocks are likely familiar with MGM Growth Properties and Highwoods Properties (HIW - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now? Let's take a closer look.

Everyone has their own methods for finding great value opportunities, but our model includes pairing an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system with a strong Zacks Rank. The proven Zacks Rank puts an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, while our Style Scores work to identify stocks with specific traits.

Right now, MGM Growth Properties is sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy), while Highwoods Properties 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 MGP is likely seeing its earnings outlook improve to a greater extent. However, value investors will care about much more than just this.

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.

MGP currently has a forward P/E ratio of 9.36, while HIW has a forward P/E of 10.04. We also note that MGP has a PEG ratio of 1.02. 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. HIW currently has a PEG ratio of 2.77.

Another notable valuation metric for MGP is its P/B ratio of 0.38. 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, HIW has a P/B of 1.73.

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

MGP sticks out from HIW in both our Zacks Rank and Style Scores models, so value investors will likely feel that MGP is the better option right now.


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