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ADUS vs. USPH: Which Stock Should Value Investors Buy Now?

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Investors looking for stocks in the Medical - Outpatient and Home Healthcare sector might want to consider either Addus HomeCare (ADUS - Free Report) or U.S. Physical Therapy (USPH - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now? 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 emphasizes companies with positive estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight stocks with specific traits.

Currently, Addus HomeCare has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while U.S. Physical Therapy has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). Investors should feel comfortable knowing that ADUS likely has seen a stronger improvement to its earnings outlook than USPH has recently. But this is just one piece of the puzzle 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.

The Value category of the Style Scores system identifies undervalued companies by looking at a number of key metrics. These include the long-favored P/E ratio, P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a variety of other fundamentals that help us determine a company's fair value.

ADUS currently has a forward P/E ratio of 24.79, while USPH has a forward P/E of 36.53. We also note that ADUS has a PEG ratio of 1.98. 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. USPH currently has a PEG ratio of 4.40.

Another notable valuation metric for ADUS is its P/B ratio of 2.47. 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, USPH has a P/B of 2.97.

These are just a few of the metrics contributing to ADUS's Value grade of B and USPH's Value grade of C.

ADUS 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 ADUS is likely the superior value option right now.


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Addus HomeCare Corporation (ADUS) - free report >>

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