HPT vs. HIW: Which Stock Should Value Investors Buy Now?

Investors interested in stocks from the REIT and Equity Trust - Other sector have probably already heard of Hospitality Properites (HPT) and Highwoods Properties (HIW). 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.

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.

Hospitality Properites has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Highwoods Properties has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now. This system places an emphasis on companies that have seen positive earnings estimate revisions, so investors should feel comfortable knowing that HPT is likely seeing its earnings outlook improve to a greater extent. But this is just one factor that value investors are interested in.

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.

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.

HPT currently has a forward P/E ratio of 6.51, while HIW has a forward P/E of 12.43. We also note that HPT has a PEG ratio of 1.30. 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. HIW currently has a PEG ratio of 3.

Another notable valuation metric for HPT is its P/B ratio of 1.53. 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, HIW has a P/B of 2.

These are just a few of the metrics contributing to HPT's Value grade of A and HIW's Value grade of C.

HPT 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 HPT is likely the superior value option right now.

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Hospitality Properties Trust (HPT) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Highwoods Properties, Inc. (HIW) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
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