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FHN or CFR: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

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Investors looking for stocks in the Banks - Southwest sector might want to consider either First Horizon National (FHN - Free Report) or Cullen/Frost Bankers (CFR - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now? Let's take a closer look.

The best way to find great value stocks is to pair a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system. The Zacks Rank is a proven strategy that targets companies with positive earnings estimate revision trends, while our Style Scores work to grade companies based on specific traits.

Right now, both First Horizon National and Cullen/Frost Bankers are sporting a Zacks Rank of # 1 (Strong Buy). The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that both of these companies have improving earnings outlooks. 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.

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.

FHN currently has a forward P/E ratio of 13.28, while CFR has a forward P/E of 16.38. We also note that FHN has a PEG ratio of 1.23. 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. CFR currently has a PEG ratio of 6.58.

Another notable valuation metric for FHN is its P/B ratio of 1.35. 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, CFR has a P/B of 2.48.

Based on these metrics and many more, FHN holds a Value grade of B, while CFR has a Value grade of F.

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


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First Horizon Corporation (FHN) - free report >>

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