APEI or LINC: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

Investors interested in stocks from the Schools sector have probably already heard of American Public Education (APEI) and Lincoln Educational Services Corporation (LINC). 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 proven Zacks Rank emphasizes companies with positive estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight stocks with specific traits.

Right now, American Public Education is sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Lincoln Educational Services Corporation has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). Investors should feel comfortable knowing that APEI likely has seen a stronger improvement to its earnings outlook than LINC has recently. But this is only part of the picture 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.

APEI currently has a forward P/E ratio of 20.63, while LINC has a forward P/E of 55.08. We also note that APEI has a PEG ratio of 1.38. 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. LINC currently has a PEG ratio of 3.67.

Another notable valuation metric for APEI is its P/B ratio of 3.21. 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, LINC has a P/B of 6.88.

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

APEI sticks out from LINC in both our Zacks Rank and Style Scores models, so value investors will likely feel that APEI is the better option right now.

Research Chief Names "Single Best Pick to Double"

From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.

This company targets millennial and Gen Z audiences, generating nearly $1 billion in revenue last quarter alone. A recent pullback makes now an ideal time to jump aboard. Of course, all our elite picks aren’t winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Nano-X Imaging which shot up +129.6% in little more than 9 months.

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

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

Zacks Investment Research