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J vs. AMPL: Which Stock Should Value Investors Buy Now?

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Investors with an interest in Technology Services stocks have likely encountered both Jacobs Solutions (J - Free Report) and Amplitude, Inc. (AMPL - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks offers value investors a better bang for their buck right now? We'll need to 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 Zacks Rank favors stocks with strong earnings estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight companies with specific traits.

Right now, Jacobs Solutions is sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Amplitude, Inc. 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 J has an improving earnings outlook. But this is just one factor that value investors are interested in.

Value investors are also interested in a number of tried-and-true valuation metrics that help show when 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.

J currently has a forward P/E ratio of 15.08, while AMPL has a forward P/E of 141.83. We also note that J has a PEG ratio of 1.38. 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. AMPL currently has a PEG ratio of 4.35.

Another notable valuation metric for J is its P/B ratio of 2.51. 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, AMPL has a P/B of 3.66.

Based on these metrics and many more, J holds a Value grade of A, while AMPL has a Value grade of F.

J stands above AMPL thanks to its solid earnings outlook, and based on these valuation figures, we also feel that J is the superior value option right now.


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