Is There Now An Opportunity In Strabag SE (VIE:STR)?

Strabag SE (VIE:STR), is not the largest company out there, but it saw significant share price movement during recent months on the WBAG, rising to highs of €41.75 and falling to the lows of €36.20. 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 Strabag's current trading price of €37.50 reflective of the actual value of the mid-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Let’s take a look at Strabag’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 Strabag

What Is Strabag Worth?

According to my price multiple model, which makes a comparison between the company's price-to-earnings ratio and the industry average, the stock price seems to be justfied. I’ve used the price-to-earnings ratio in this instance because there’s not enough visibility to forecast its cash flows. The stock’s ratio of 7.15x is currently trading slightly below its industry peers’ ratio of 10.25x, which means if you buy Strabag today, you’d be paying a decent price for it. And if you believe Strabag should be trading in this range, then there isn’t much room for the share price to grow beyond the levels of other industry peers over the long-term. In addition to this, it seems like Strabag’s share price is quite stable, which could mean there may be less chances to buy low in the future now that it’s trading around the price multiples of other industry peers. This is because the stock is less volatile than the wider market given its low beta.

Can we expect growth from Strabag?

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. Although value investors would argue that it’s the intrinsic value relative to the price that matter the most, a more compelling investment thesis would be high growth potential at a cheap price. However, with a negative profit growth of -20% expected over the next couple of years, near-term growth certainly doesn’t appear to be a driver for a buy decision for Strabag. This certainty tips the risk-return scale towards higher risk.

What This Means For You

Are you a shareholder? STR seems priced close to industry peers right now, but given the uncertainty from negative returns in the future, this could be the right time to reduce the risk in your portfolio. Is your current exposure to the stock beneficial for your total portfolio? And is the opportunity cost of holding a negative-outlook stock too high? Before you make a decision on STR, take a look at whether its fundamentals have changed.

Are you a potential investor? If you’ve been keeping tabs on STR for a while, now may not be the most optimal time to buy, given it is trading around industry price multiples. This means there’s less benefit from mispricing. In addition to this, the negative growth outlook increases the risk of holding the stock. However, there are also other important factors we haven’t considered today, which can help crystallize your views on STR should the price fluctuate below the industry PE ratio.

So if you'd like to dive deeper into this stock, it's crucial to consider any risks it's facing. For example, we've found that Strabag has 2 warning signs (1 doesn't sit too well with us!) that deserve your attention before going any further with your analysis.

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

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. 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.