Yahoo Finance Is Card Factory plc (LON:CARD) Potentially Undervalued?
While Card Factory plc (LON:CARD) might not be the most widely known stock at the moment, it received a lot of attention from a substantial price increase on the LSE over the last few months. As a stock with high coverage by analysts, you could assume any recent changes in the company’s outlook is already priced into the stock. However, could the stock still be trading at a relatively cheap price? Let’s take a look at Card Factory’s outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if the opportunity still exists.
Check out our latest analysis for Card Factory
What is Card Factory worth?
Great news for investors – Card Factory is still trading at a fairly cheap price according to my price multiple model, where I compare the company's price-to-earnings ratio to the industry average. In this instance, I’ve used the price-to-earnings (PE) ratio given that there is not enough information to reliably forecast the stock’s cash flows. I find that Card Factory’s ratio of 2.75x is below its peer average of 15.1x, which indicates the stock is trading at a lower price compared to the Specialty Retail industry. Although, there may be another chance to buy again in the future. This is because Card Factory’s beta (a measure of share price volatility) is high, meaning its price movements will be exaggerated relative to the rest of the market. If the market is bearish, the company’s shares will likely fall by more than the rest of the market, providing a prime buying opportunity.
What does the future of Card Factory look like?
Future outlook is an important aspect when you’re looking at buying a stock, especially if you are an investor looking for growth in your portfolio. Buying a great company with a robust outlook at a cheap price is always a good investment, so let’s also take a look at the company's future expectations. However, with an extremely negative double-digit change in profit expected over the next couple of years, near-term growth is certainly not a driver of a buy decision. It seems like high uncertainty is on the cards for Card Factory, at least in the near future.
What this means for you:
Are you a shareholder? Although CARD is currently trading below the industry PE ratio, the negative profit outlook does bring on some uncertainty, which equates to higher risk. Consider whether you want to increase your portfolio exposure to CARD, or whether diversifying into another stock may be a better move for your total risk and return.
Are you a potential investor? If you’ve been keeping tabs on CARD for some time, but hesitant on making the leap, I recommend you dig deeper into the stock. Given its current price multiple, now is a great time to make a decision. But keep in mind the risks that come with negative growth prospects in the future.
If you want to dive deeper into Card Factory, you'd also look into what risks it is currently facing. To help with this, we've discovered 3 warning signs (1 is concerning!) that you ought to be aware of before buying any shares in Card Factory.
If you are no longer interested in Card Factory, you can use our free platform to see our list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential.
This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
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