AXS or ALL: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

Investors interested in Insurance - Property and Casualty stocks are likely familiar with Axis Capital (AXS) and Allstate (ALL). But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? 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 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, Axis Capital is sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Allstate has a Zacks Rank of #5 (Strong Sell). Investors should feel comfortable knowing that AXS likely has seen a stronger improvement to its earnings outlook than ALL has recently. But this is only part of the picture for value investors.

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.

AXS currently has a forward P/E ratio of 9.80, while ALL has a forward P/E of 59.48. We also note that AXS has a PEG ratio of 1.96. 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. ALL currently has a PEG ratio of 11.71.

Another notable valuation metric for AXS is its P/B ratio of 1.21. 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, ALL has a P/B of 2.22.

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

AXS has seen stronger estimate revision activity and sports more attractive valuation metrics than ALL, so it seems like value investors will conclude that AXS is the superior option right now.

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Axis Capital Holdings Limited (AXS) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
The Allstate Corporation (ALL) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
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