Is It Too Late To Consider Buying Richelieu Hardware Ltd. (TSE:RCH)?

While Richelieu Hardware Ltd. (TSE:RCH) might not be the most widely known stock at the moment, it saw significant share price movement during recent months on the TSX, rising to highs of CA$44.97 and falling to the lows of CA$40.47. 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 Richelieu Hardware's current trading price of CA$41.87 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 Richelieu Hardware’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 Richelieu Hardware

Is Richelieu Hardware Still Cheap?

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. 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 16.21x is currently well-above the industry average of 8.32x, meaning that it is trading at a more expensive price relative to its peers. In addition to this, it seems like Richelieu Hardware’s share price is quite stable, which could mean two things: firstly, it may take the share price a while to fall back down to an attractive buying range, and secondly, there may be less chances to buy low in the future once it reaches that value. This is because the stock is less volatile than the wider market given its low beta.

What does the future of Richelieu Hardware 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. 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. Though in the case of Richelieu Hardware, it is expected to deliver a highly negative earnings growth in the upcoming, 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? If you believe RCH is currently trading above its peers, selling high and buying it back up again when its price falls towards the industry PE ratio can be profitable. Given the uncertainty from negative growth in the future, this could be the right time to reduce your total portfolio risk. 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 RCH for a while, now may not be the best time to enter into the stock. The price has climbed past its industry peers, in addition to a risky future outlook. However, there are also other important factors which we haven’t considered today, such as the financial strength of the company. Should the price fall in the future, will you be well-informed enough to buy?

So while earnings quality is important, it's equally important to consider the risks facing Richelieu Hardware at this point in time. Case in point: We've spotted 1 warning sign for Richelieu Hardware you should be aware of.

If you are no longer interested in Richelieu Hardware, 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.