STRT vs. ATMU: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

Investors with an interest in Automotive - Original Equipment stocks have likely encountered both Strattec Security (STRT) and Atmus Filtration Technologies (ATMU). 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.

Currently, both Strattec Security and Atmus Filtration Technologies are holding a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy). Investors should feel comfortable knowing that both of these stocks have an improving earnings outlook since the Zacks Rank favors companies that have witnessed positive analyst estimate revisions. 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 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.

STRT currently has a forward P/E ratio of 11.70, while ATMU has a forward P/E of 19.02. We also note that STRT has a PEG ratio of 1.17. 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. ATMU currently has a PEG ratio of 2.51.

Another notable valuation metric for STRT is its P/B ratio of 1.16. 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, ATMU has a P/B of 12.

These metrics, and several others, help STRT earn a Value grade of A, while ATMU has been given a Value grade of C.

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

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Strattec Security Corporation (STRT): Free Stock Analysis Report

Atmus Filtration Technologies Inc. (ATMU): Free Stock Analysis Report

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

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