Is Now The Time To Look At Buying SMA Solar Technology AG (ETR:S92)?

SMA Solar Technology AG (ETR:S92), is not the largest company out there, but it received a lot of attention from a substantial price movement on the XTRA over the last few months, increasing to €52.95 at one point, and dropping to the lows of €20.50. 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 SMA Solar Technology's current trading price of €20.50 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 SMA Solar Technology’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 SMA Solar Technology

What's The Opportunity In SMA Solar Technology?

Good news, investors! SMA Solar Technology is still a bargain right now according to our price multiple model, which compares the company's price-to-earnings ratio to the industry average. We’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 4.28x is currently well-below the industry average of 14.81x, meaning that it is trading at a cheaper price relative to its peers. What’s more interesting is that, SMA Solar Technology’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 does the future of SMA Solar Technology look like?

Investors looking for growth in their portfolio may want to consider the prospects of a company before buying its shares. 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 an extremely negative double-digit change in profit expected over the next couple of years, near-term growth is certainly not a driver of a buy decision. It seems like high uncertainty is on the cards for SMA Solar Technology, at least in the near future.

What This Means For You

Are you a shareholder? Although S92 is currently trading below the industry PE ratio, the negative profit outlook does bring on some uncertainty, which equates to higher risk. We recommend you think about whether you want to increase your portfolio exposure to S92, 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 S92 for some time, but hesitant on making the leap, we recommend you dig deeper into the stock. Given its current price multiple, now is a great time to make a decision. But keep in mind the risks that come with negative growth prospects in the future.

If you want to dive deeper into SMA Solar Technology, you'd also look into what risks it is currently facing. To that end, you should learn about the 3 warning signs we've spotted with SMA Solar Technology (including 2 which make us uncomfortable).

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

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

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.