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C or BAC: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

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Investors interested in stocks from the Banks - Major Regional sector have probably already heard of Citigroup (C - Free Report) and Bank of America (BAC - Free Report) . But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? Let's take a closer look.

Everyone has their own methods for finding great value opportunities, but our model includes pairing an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system with a strong Zacks Rank. The Zacks Rank favors stocks with strong earnings estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight companies with specific traits.

Currently, both Citigroup and Bank of America are holding a Zacks Rank of # 2 (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 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.

Our Value category grades stocks based on a number of key metrics, including the tried-and-true P/E ratio, the P/S ratio, earnings yield, and cash flow per share, as well as a variety of other fundamentals that value investors frequently use.

C currently has a forward P/E ratio of 5.73, while BAC has a forward P/E of 12.47. We also note that C has a PEG ratio of 0.45. 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. BAC currently has a PEG ratio of 1.78.

Another notable valuation metric for C is its P/B ratio of 0.66. Investors use the P/B ratio to look at a stock's market value versus its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. By comparison, BAC has a P/B of 1.43.

Based on these metrics and many more, C holds a Value grade of A, while BAC has a Value grade of F.

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


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