Park Lawn Corporation (TSE:PLC), might not be a large cap stock, but it received a lot of attention from a substantial price movement on the TSX over the last few months, increasing to CA$35.38 at one point, and dropping to the lows of CA$25.35. 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 Park Lawn's current trading price of CA$25.35 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 Park Lawn’s outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change.
View our latest analysis for Park Lawn
What's The Opportunity In Park Lawn?
Park Lawn is currently expensive based on my price multiple model, where I look at the company's price-to-earnings ratio in comparison to the industry average. 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 23.18x is currently well-above the industry average of 17.69x, meaning that it is trading at a more expensive price relative to its peers. But, is there another opportunity to buy low in the future? Since Park Lawn’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 Park Lawn 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. 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. With revenues expected to grow by 53% over the next couple of years, the future seems bright for Park Lawn. If the level of expenses is able to be maintained, it looks like higher cash flow is on the cards for the stock, which should feed into a higher share valuation.
What This Means For You
Are you a shareholder? It seems like the market has well and truly priced in PLC’s positive outlook, with shares trading above industry price multiples. At this current price, shareholders may be asking a different question – should I sell? If you believe PLC 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 PLC 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 PLC, which means it’s worth diving deeper into other factors in order to take advantage of the next price drop.
It can be quite valuable to consider what analysts expect for Park Lawn from their most recent forecasts. At Simply Wall St, we have the analysts estimates which you can view by clicking here.
If you are no longer interested in Park Lawn, 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.
About TSX:PLC
Park Lawn
Owns and operates cemeteries, crematoriums, and funeral homes in Canada and the United States.
Adequate balance sheet and fair value.