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HMLP or KEX: Which Is the Better Value Stock Right Now?

Investors with an interest in Transportation - Shipping stocks have likely encountered both Hoegh LNG (HMLP) and Kirby (KEX). 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 is a proven strategy that targets companies with positive earnings estimate revision trends, while our Style Scores work to grade companies based on specific traits.

Hoegh LNG and Kirby are sporting Zacks Ranks of #2 (Buy) and #3 (Hold), respectively, right now. This system places an emphasis on companies that have seen positive earnings estimate revisions, so investors should feel comfortable knowing that HMLP is likely seeing its earnings outlook improve to a greater extent. But this is just one piece of the puzzle for value investors.

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.

The Style Score Value grade factors in a variety of key fundamental metrics, including the popular P/E ratio, P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a number of other key stats that are commonly used by value investors.

HMLP currently has a forward P/E ratio of 3.65, while KEX has a forward P/E of 58.72. We also note that HMLP has a PEG ratio of 0.58. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. KEX currently has a PEG ratio of 4.08.

Another notable valuation metric for HMLP is its P/B ratio of 0.62. The P/B ratio is used to compare a stock's market value with its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. For comparison, KEX has a P/B of 1.16.

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

HMLP 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 HMLP is likely the superior value option right now.


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Hoegh LNG Partners LP (HMLP) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Kirby Corporation (KEX) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
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