ZION or BOH: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

Investors interested in stocks from the Banks - West sector have probably already heard of Zions (ZION) and Bank of Hawaii (BOH). But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now? 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 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, Zions is sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Bank of Hawaii has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that ZION has an improving earnings outlook. However, value investors will care about much more than just this.

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.

ZION currently has a forward P/E ratio of 11.91, while BOH has a forward P/E of 16.60. We also note that ZION has a PEG ratio of 1.48. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. BOH currently has a PEG ratio of 2.08.

Another notable valuation metric for ZION is its P/B ratio of 1.26. 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, BOH has a P/B of 2.86.

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

ZION stands above BOH thanks to its solid earnings outlook, and based on these valuation figures, we also feel that ZION is 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
 
Zions Bancorporation, N.A. (ZION) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Bank of Hawaii Corporation (BOH) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.