ALGN or WST: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

Investors interested in stocks from the Medical - Dental Supplies sector have probably already heard of Align Technology (ALGN) and West Pharmaceutical Services (WST). But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? 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 proven Zacks Rank emphasizes companies with positive estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight stocks with specific traits.

Right now, both Align Technology and West Pharmaceutical Services are sporting 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 tend to look at a number of traditional, tried-and-true figures to help them find stocks that they believe are undervalued at their 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.

ALGN currently has a forward P/E ratio of 15.38, while WST has a forward P/E of 30.42. We also note that ALGN has a PEG ratio of 1.53. 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. WST currently has a PEG ratio of 2.56.

Another notable valuation metric for ALGN is its P/B ratio of 3.06. 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, WST has a P/B of 5.42.

Based on these metrics and many more, ALGN holds a Value grade of B, while WST has a Value grade of D.

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

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

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