Investors interested in stocks from the Internet - Software sector have probably already heard of StoneCo Ltd. (STNE) and Informatica Inc. (INFA). 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 emphasizes companies with positive estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight stocks with specific traits.
Right now, StoneCo Ltd. is sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy), while Informatica Inc. has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). Investors should feel comfortable knowing that STNE likely has seen a stronger improvement to its earnings outlook than INFA has recently. 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.
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.
STNE currently has a forward P/E ratio of 10.02, while INFA has a forward P/E of 21.87. We also note that STNE has a PEG ratio of 0.40. 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. INFA currently has a PEG ratio of 2.88.
Another notable valuation metric for STNE is its P/B ratio of 2.08. 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, INFA has a P/B of 3.14.
These metrics, and several others, help STNE earn a Value grade of B, while INFA has been given a Value grade of D.
STNE sticks out from INFA in both our Zacks Rank and Style Scores models, so value investors will likely feel that STNE is the better option right now.
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
StoneCo Ltd. (STNE): Free Stock Analysis Report Informatica Inc. (INFA): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
Zacks Investment Research
