Is Now The Time To Look At Buying Veolia Environnement S.A. (EPA:VIE)?

Today we're going to take a look at the well-established Veolia Environnement S.A. (EPA:VIE). The company's stock saw a significant share price rise of over 20% in the past couple of months on the ENXTPA. 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. But what if there is still an opportunity to buy? Let’s examine Veolia Environnement’s valuation and outlook in more detail to determine if there’s still a bargain opportunity.

Our analysis indicates that VIE is potentially undervalued!

What's The Opportunity In Veolia Environnement?

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. 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 Veolia Environnement’s ratio of 50.85x is above its peer average of 11.5x, which suggests the stock is trading at a higher price compared to the Integrated Utilities industry. If you like the stock, you may want to keep an eye out for a potential price decline in the future. Given that Veolia Environnement’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 Veolia Environnement 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. Veolia Environnement's earnings over the next few years are expected to double, indicating a very optimistic future ahead. This should lead to stronger cash flows, feeding into a higher share value.

What This Means For You

Are you a shareholder? VIE’s optimistic future growth appears to have been factored into the current share price, with shares trading above industry price multiples. At this current price, shareholders may be asking a different question – should I sell? If you believe VIE 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 tabs on VIE for some time, 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 VIE, which means it’s worth diving deeper into other factors in order to take advantage of the next price drop.

So while earnings quality is important, it's equally important to consider the risks facing Veolia Environnement at this point in time. Be aware that Veolia Environnement is showing 4 warning signs in our investment analysis and 1 of those is a bit unpleasant...

If you are no longer interested in Veolia Environnement, 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.