What Does Atlantic Power Corporation's (TSE:ATP) Share Price Indicate?

Atlantic Power Corporation (TSE:ATP), which is in the renewable energy business, and is based in United States, received a lot of attention from a substantial price movement on the TSX over the last few months, increasing to CA$3.81 at one point, and dropping to the lows of CA$3.02. 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 Atlantic Power's current trading price of CA$3.07 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 Atlantic Power’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 Atlantic Power

What's the opportunity in Atlantic Power?

Good news, investors! Atlantic Power is still a bargain right now. 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 Atlantic Power’s ratio of 6.96x is below its peer average of 14.46x, which suggests the stock is undervalued compared to the Renewable Energy industry. However, given that Atlantic Power’s share is fairly volatile (i.e. its price movements are magnified relative to the rest of the market) this could mean the price can sink lower, giving us another chance to buy in the future. This is based on its high beta, which is a good indicator for share price volatility.

What kind of growth will Atlantic Power 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. Though in the case of Atlantic Power, 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 ATP is currently undervalued, the negative outlook does bring on some uncertainty, which equates to higher risk. I recommend you think about whether you want to increase your portfolio exposure to ATP, 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 ATP for some time, but hesitant on making the leap, I recommend you dig deeper 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.

Price is just the tip of the iceberg. Dig deeper into what truly matters – the fundamentals – before you make a decision on Atlantic Power. You can find everything you need to know about Atlantic Power in the latest infographic research report. If you are no longer interested in Atlantic Power, you can use our free platform to see my list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. 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. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.