Yahoo Finance AUY vs. AEM: Which Stock Should Value Investors Buy Now?
Investors looking for stocks in the Mining - Gold sector might want to consider either Yamana Gold (AUY) or Agnico Eagle Mines (AEM). 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 puts an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, while our Style Scores work to identify stocks with specific traits.
Yamana Gold has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Agnico Eagle Mines has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now. This system places an emphasis on companies that have seen positive earnings estimate revisions, so investors should feel comfortable knowing that AUY is likely seeing its earnings outlook improve to a greater extent. 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.
AUY currently has a forward P/E ratio of 17.87, while AEM has a forward P/E of 25.89. We also note that AUY has a PEG ratio of 2.94. 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. AEM currently has a PEG ratio of 25.89.
Another notable valuation metric for AUY is its P/B ratio of 0.99. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. For comparison, AEM has a P/B of 1.33.
Based on these metrics and many more, AUY holds a Value grade of B, while AEM has a Value grade of C.
AUY 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 AUY is likely the superior value option right now.
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
Yamana Gold Inc. (AUY) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (AEM) : Free Stock Analysis Report
