Yahoo Finance Should You Think About Buying Watkin Jones Plc (LON:WJG) Now?
While Watkin Jones Plc (LON:WJG) might not be the most widely known stock at the moment, it led the AIM gainers with a relatively large price hike in the past couple of weeks. 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? Today I will analyse the most recent data on Watkin Jones’s outlook and valuation to see if the opportunity still exists.
Check out our latest analysis for Watkin Jones
What's the opportunity in Watkin Jones?
According to my price multiple model, where I compare the company's price-to-earnings ratio to the industry average, the stock currently looks expensive. 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 Watkin Jones’s ratio of 24.38x is above its peer average of 18.53x, which suggests the stock is trading at a higher price compared to the Real Estate industry. If you like the stock, you may want to keep an eye out for a potential price decline in the future. Since Watkin Jones’s share price is quite volatile, this could mean it can sink lower (or rise even further) in the future, giving us another chance to invest. This is based on its high beta, which is a good indicator for how much the stock moves relative to the rest of the market.
What kind of growth will Watkin Jones generate?
Investors looking for growth in their portfolio may want to consider the prospects of a company before buying its shares. 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. Watkin Jones' earnings over the next few years are expected to double, indicating a very optimistic future ahead. This should lead to stronger cash flows, feeding into a higher share value.
What this means for you:
Are you a shareholder? It seems like the market has well and truly priced in WJG’s positive outlook, with shares trading above industry price multiples. However, this brings up another question – is now the right time to sell? If you believe WJG should trade below its current price, selling high and buying it back up again when its price falls towards the industry PE ratio can be profitable. But before you make this decision, take a look at whether its fundamentals have changed.
Are you a potential investor? If you’ve been keeping an eye on WJG for a while, now may not be the best time to enter into the stock. The price has surpassed its industry peers, which means it is likely that there is no more upside from mispricing. However, the optimistic prospect is encouraging for WJG, which means it’s worth diving deeper into other factors in order to take advantage of the next price drop.
If you'd like to know more about Watkin Jones as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 4 warning signs with Watkin Jones, and understanding them should be part of your investment process.
If you are no longer interested in Watkin Jones, 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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