Johnson Matthey Plc (LON:JMAT), might not be a large cap stock, but it saw a double-digit share price rise of over 10% in the past couple of months on the LSE. 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. However, could the stock still be trading at a relatively cheap price? Let’s take a look at Johnson Matthey’s outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if the opportunity still exists.
See our latest analysis for Johnson Matthey
What's The Opportunity In Johnson Matthey?
Good news, investors! Johnson Matthey is still a bargain right now according to my price multiple model, which compares the company's price-to-earnings ratio to the industry average. I’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 11.93x is currently well-below the industry average of 17.62x, meaning that it is trading at a cheaper price relative to its peers. Although, there may be another chance to buy again in the future. This is because Johnson Matthey’s beta (a measure of share price volatility) is high, meaning its price movements will be exaggerated relative to the rest of the market. If the market is bearish, the company’s shares will likely fall by more than the rest of the market, providing a prime buying opportunity.
Can we expect growth from Johnson Matthey?
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. 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. Johnson Matthey's earnings over the next few years are expected to increase by 45%, indicating a highly optimistic future ahead. This should lead to more robust cash flows, feeding into a higher share value.
What This Means For You
Are you a shareholder? Since JMAT is currently below the industry PE ratio, it may be a great time to increase your holdings in the stock. With a positive outlook on the horizon, it seems like this growth has not yet been fully factored into the share price. However, there are also other factors such as financial health to consider, which could explain the current price multiple.
Are you a potential investor? If you’ve been keeping an eye on JMAT for a while, now might be the time to make a leap. Its prosperous future profit outlook isn’t fully reflected in the current share price yet, which means it’s not too late to buy JMAT. But before you make any investment decisions, consider other factors such as the strength of its balance sheet, in order to make a well-informed assessment.
If you'd like to know more about Johnson Matthey as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. You'd be interested to know, that we found 1 warning sign for Johnson Matthey and you'll want to know about this.
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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.
About LSE:JMAT
Johnson Matthey
Engages in the clean air, catalyst and hydrogen technology, and platinum group metals (PGM) service businesses in the United Kingdom, Germany, rest of Europe, the United States, rest of North America, China, rest of Asia, and internationally.
Excellent balance sheet with moderate growth potential.