FLR vs. PWR: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

Investors interested in stocks from the Engineering - R and D Services sector have probably already heard of Fluor (FLR) and Quanta Services (PWR). But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? Let's 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 puts an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, while our Style Scores work to identify stocks with specific traits.

Currently, Fluor has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Quanta Services has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that FLR has an improving earnings outlook. But this is only part of the picture for value investors.

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 highlights undervalued companies by looking at a variety of key metrics, including the popular P/E ratio, as well as the P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a variety of other fundamentals that have been used by value investors for years.

FLR currently has a forward P/E ratio of 19.78, while PWR has a forward P/E of 34.95. We also note that FLR has a PEG ratio of 2.38. 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. PWR currently has a PEG ratio of 2.59.

Another notable valuation metric for FLR is its P/B ratio of 2.29. 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, PWR has a P/B of 7.16.

Based on these metrics and many more, FLR holds a Value grade of B, while PWR has a Value grade of D.

FLR 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 FLR is likely the superior value option right now.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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