Is Now The Time To Look At Buying STMicroelectronics N.V. (EPA:STM)?

Let's talk about the popular STMicroelectronics N.V. (EPA:STM). The company's shares saw a decent share price growth in the teens level on the ENXTPA over the last few months. As a large-cap stock with high coverage by analysts, you could assume any recent changes in the company’s outlook is already priced into the stock. However, what if the stock is still a bargain? Let’s examine STMicroelectronics’s valuation and outlook in more detail to determine if there’s still a bargain opportunity.

Our analysis indicates that STM is potentially undervalued!

What's The Opportunity In STMicroelectronics?

The stock seems fairly valued at the moment according to my valuation model. It’s trading around 16% below my intrinsic value, which means if you buy STMicroelectronics today, you’d be paying a reasonable price for it. And if you believe the company’s true value is €43.63, then there’s not much of an upside to gain from mispricing. So, is there another chance to buy low in the future? Given that STMicroelectronics’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 an opportunity to buy later on. This is based on its high beta, which is a good indicator for share price volatility.

Can we expect growth from STMicroelectronics?

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 profit expected to grow by 22% over the next couple of years, the future seems bright for STMicroelectronics. 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 already priced in STM’s positive outlook, with shares trading around its fair value. However, there are also other important factors which we haven’t considered today, such as the financial strength of the company. Have these factors changed since the last time you looked at the stock? Will you have enough confidence to invest in the company should the price drop below its fair value?

Are you a potential investor? If you’ve been keeping an eye on STM, now may not be the most optimal time to buy, given it is trading around its fair value. However, the optimistic prospect is encouraging for the company, which means it’s worth diving deeper into other factors such as the strength of its balance sheet, in order to take advantage of the next price drop.

With this in mind, we wouldn't consider investing in a stock unless we had a thorough understanding of the risks. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for STMicroelectronics you should know about.

If you are no longer interested in STMicroelectronics, 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.