FDC vs. SPSC: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

Investors interested in stocks from the Business - Services sector have probably already heard of First Data (FDC) and SPS Commerce (SPSC). But which of these two stocks offers value investors a better bang for their buck right now? We'll need to take a closer look.

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, First Data is sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while SPS Commerce 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 FDC has an improving earnings outlook. But this is just one factor that value investors are interested in.

Value investors are also interested in a number of tried-and-true valuation metrics that help show when a company is undervalued at its 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.

FDC currently has a forward P/E ratio of 15.33, while SPSC has a forward P/E of 53.94. We also note that FDC has a PEG ratio of 1.44. 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. SPSC currently has a PEG ratio of 2.16.

Another notable valuation metric for FDC is its P/B ratio of 3.37. 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, SPSC has a P/B of 4.64.

These metrics, and several others, help FDC earn a Value grade of B, while SPSC has been given a Value grade of F.

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

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First Data Corporation (FDC) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
SPS Commerce, Inc. (SPSC) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
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