Is There Now An Opportunity In Johnson Matthey Plc (LON:JMAT)?

Johnson Matthey Plc (LON:JMAT), might not be a large cap stock, but it saw a decent share price growth in the teens level on the LSE over the last few months. As a mid-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? Today I will analyse the most recent data on Johnson Matthey’s outlook and valuation to see if the opportunity still exists.

View our latest analysis for Johnson Matthey

Is Johnson Matthey Still Cheap?

The stock seems fairly valued at the moment according to my valuation model. It’s trading around 9.0% below my intrinsic value, which means if you buy Johnson Matthey today, you’d be paying a fair price for it. And if you believe the company’s true value is £23.52, then there isn’t much 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 Johnson Matthey’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 Johnson Matthey?

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 profit expected to grow by 41% over the next couple of years, the future seems bright for Johnson Matthey. 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? JMAT’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 conviction to buy should the price fluctuates below the true value?

Are you a potential investor? If you’ve been keeping tabs on JMAT, now may not be the most optimal time to buy, given it is trading around its fair value. However, the positive outlook 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.

So while earnings quality is important, it's equally important to consider the risks facing Johnson Matthey at this point in time. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 1 warning sign with Johnson Matthey, and understanding this should be part of your investment process.

If you are no longer interested in Johnson Matthey, 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.