ICL vs. NVZMY: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

Investors interested in stocks from the Chemical - Specialty sector have probably already heard of Israel Chemicals (ICL) and Novozymes AS (NVZMY). But which of these two stocks is more attractive to value investors? We'll need to take a closer look to find out.

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 puts an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, while our Style Scores work to identify stocks with specific traits.

Right now, Israel Chemicals is sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Novozymes AS has a Zacks Rank of #4 (Sell). This means that ICL's earnings estimate revision activity has been more impressive, so investors should feel comfortable with its improving analyst outlook. However, value investors will care about much more than just this.

Value investors analyze a variety of traditional, tried-and-true metrics to help find companies 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.

ICL currently has a forward P/E ratio of 15.90, while NVZMY has a forward P/E of 43.55. We also note that ICL has a PEG ratio of 0.69. This popular figure is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also considers a company's expected EPS growth rate. NVZMY currently has a PEG ratio of 9.53.

Another notable valuation metric for ICL is its P/B ratio of 2.07. 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, NVZMY has a P/B of 10.03.

These metrics, and several others, help ICL earn a Value grade of B, while NVZMY has been given a Value grade of D.

ICL 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 ICL is likely the superior value option right now.

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Israel Chemicals Shs (ICL) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Novozymes AS (NVZMY) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
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