Investors interested in Manufacturing - Electronics stocks are likely familiar with A.O. Smith (AOS) and Kone Oyj Unsponsored ADR (KNYJY). 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.
Currently, A.O. Smith has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Kone Oyj Unsponsored ADR has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). This means that AOS's earnings estimate revision activity has been more impressive, so investors should feel comfortable with its improving analyst outlook. But this is only part of the picture for value investors.
Value investors also tend to look at a number of traditional, tried-and-true figures to help them find stocks 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.
AOS currently has a forward P/E ratio of 18.99, while KNYJY has a forward P/E of 28.69. We also note that AOS has a PEG ratio of 1.58. 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. KNYJY currently has a PEG ratio of 3.00.
Another notable valuation metric for AOS is its P/B ratio of 5.52. The P/B ratio is used to compare a stock's market value with its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. For comparison, KNYJY has a P/B of 11.88.
Based on these metrics and many more, AOS holds a Value grade of B, while KNYJY has a Value grade of C.
AOS stands above KNYJY thanks to its solid earnings outlook, and based on these valuation figures, we also feel that AOS is the superior value option right now.
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A. O. Smith Corporation (AOS): Free Stock Analysis Report Kone Oyj Unsponsored ADR (KNYJY): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
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