InterDigital Inc (IDCC)

[FISH21049]

Sorry m3s, had to post this from Zacks:

IDCC vs. QCOM: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

QCOM -0.29%
IDCC +2.50%
Zacks Equity Research
Mon, November 13, 2023 at 10:40 AM CST·2 min read

In this article:
Investors looking for stocks in the Wireless Equipment sector might want to consider either InterDigital (IDCC) or Qualcomm (QCOM). 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.

InterDigital has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Qualcomm has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now. The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that IDCC has an improving earnings outlook. But this is just one piece of the puzzle for value investors.

Value investors also tend to look at a number of traditional, tried-and-true figures to help them find stocks that they believe are undervalued at their 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.

IDCC currently has a forward P/E ratio of 10.27, while QCOM has a forward P/E of 13.70. We also note that IDCC has a PEG ratio of 0.59. 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. QCOM currently has a PEG ratio of 1.09.

Another notable valuation metric for IDCC is its P/B ratio of 3.97. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. For comparison, QCOM has a P/B of 6.41.

These metrics, and several others, help IDCC earn a Value grade of A, while QCOM has been given a Value grade of C.

IDCC stands above QCOM thanks to its solid earnings outlook, and based on these valuation figures, we also feel that IDCC is the superior value option right now.