Why Ricardo plc (LON:RCDO) Could Be Worth Watching

Ricardo plc (LON:RCDO), might not be a large cap stock, but it received a lot of attention from a substantial price movement on the LSE over the last few months, increasing to UK£5.28 at one point, and dropping to the lows of UK£3.13. Some share price movements can give investors a better opportunity to enter into the stock, and potentially buy at a lower price. A question to answer is whether Ricardo's current trading price of UK£3.29 reflective of the actual value of the small-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Let’s take a look at Ricardo’s outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change.

See our latest analysis for Ricardo

What is Ricardo worth?

Great news for investors – Ricardo is still trading at a fairly cheap price. My valuation model shows that the intrinsic value for the stock is £4.23, but it is currently trading at UK£3.29 on the share market, meaning that there is still an opportunity to buy now. What’s more interesting is that, Ricardo’s share price is quite volatile, which gives us more chances to buy since the share price could sink lower (or rise higher) in the future. 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 Ricardo generate?

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. Though in the case of Ricardo, it is expected to deliver a highly negative earnings growth in the next few years, which doesn’t help build up its investment thesis. It appears that risk of future uncertainty is high, at least in the near term.

What this means for you:

Are you a shareholder? Although RCDO is currently undervalued, the adverse prospect of negative growth brings about some degree of risk. Consider whether you want to increase your portfolio exposure to RCDO, 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 RCDO for some time, but hesitant on making the leap, I recommend you research further into the stock. Given its current undervaluation, now is a great time to make a decision. But keep in mind the risks that come with negative growth prospects in the future.

In light of this, if you'd like to do more analysis on the company, it's vital to be informed of the risks involved. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for Ricardo you should know about.

If you are no longer interested in Ricardo, you can use our free platform to see our list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential.

If you decide to trade Ricardo, use the lowest-cost* platform that is rated #1 Overall by Barron’s, Interactive Brokers. Trade stocks, options, futures, forex, bonds and funds on 135 markets, all from a single integrated account. Promoted

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.
^*Interactive Brokers Rated Lowest Cost Broker by StockBrokers.com Annual Online Review 2020

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.