PAYC vs. PLTR: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

Investors interested in stocks from the Internet - Software sector have probably already heard of Paycom Software (PAYC) and Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR). But which of these two stocks is more attractive to value investors? We'll need to take a closer look to find out.

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 favors stocks with strong earnings estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight companies with specific traits.

Right now, both Paycom Software and Palantir Technologies Inc. are sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy). Investors should feel comfortable knowing that both of these stocks have an improving earnings outlook since the Zacks Rank favors companies that have witnessed positive analyst estimate revisions. 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.

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.

PAYC currently has a forward P/E ratio of 13.47, while PLTR has a forward P/E of 82.97. We also note that PAYC has a PEG ratio of 1.07. 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. PLTR currently has a PEG ratio of 1.55.

Another notable valuation metric for PAYC is its P/B ratio of 8.53. 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, PLTR has a P/B of 34.44.

Based on these metrics and many more, PAYC holds a Value grade of B, while PLTR has a Value grade of F.

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

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Paycom Software, Inc. (PAYC) : Free Stock Analysis Report

Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR) : Free Stock Analysis Report

This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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