When Should You Buy Hays plc (LON:HAS)?

Hays plc (LON:HAS), is not the largest company out there, but it saw significant share price movement during recent months on the LSE, rising to highs of UK£1.77 and falling to the lows of UK£1.48. 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 Hays' current trading price of UK£1.53 reflective of the actual value of the mid-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Let’s take a look at Hays’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 Hays

What is Hays worth?

The stock seems fairly valued at the moment according to my valuation model. It’s trading around 7.01% above my intrinsic value, which means if you buy Hays today, you’d be paying a relatively reasonable price for it. And if you believe the company’s true value is £1.43, then there isn’t really any room for the share price grow beyond what it’s currently trading. So, is there another chance to buy low in the future? Given that Hays’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 Hays?

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. With revenues expected to grow by a double-digit 24% over the next couple of years, the outlook is positive for Hays. 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? HAS’s optimistic future growth appears to have been factored into the current share price, with shares trading around its fair value. However, there are also other important factors which we haven’t considered today, such as the track record of its management team. 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 tabs on HAS, 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 further examining other factors such as the strength of its balance sheet, in order to take advantage of the next price drop.

It can be quite valuable to consider what analysts expect for Hays from their most recent forecasts. At Simply Wall St, we have the analysts estimates which you can view by clicking here.

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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. 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.
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