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VEOEY vs. AWK: Which Stock Should Value Investors Buy Now?

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Investors interested in stocks from the Utility - Water Supply sector have probably already heard of Veolia Environnement SA (VEOEY - Free Report) and American Water Works (AWK - Free Report) . But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? 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, both Veolia Environnement SA and American Water Works are sporting a Zacks Rank of # 2 (Buy). This means that both companies have witnessed positive earnings estimate revisions, so investors should feel comfortable knowing that both of these stocks have an improving earnings outlook. But this is just one factor that value investors are interested in.

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.

The Style Score Value grade factors in a variety of key fundamental metrics, including the popular P/E ratio, P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a number of other key stats that are commonly used by value investors.

VEOEY currently has a forward P/E ratio of 7.44, while AWK has a forward P/E of 27.64. We also note that VEOEY has a PEG ratio of 0.78. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. AWK currently has a PEG ratio of 3.51.

Another notable valuation metric for VEOEY is its P/B ratio of 1.54. 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, AWK has a P/B of 2.80.

Based on these metrics and many more, VEOEY holds a Value grade of A, while AWK has a Value grade of D.

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


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American Water Works Company, Inc. (AWK) - free report >>

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