Is WH Smith PLC (LON:SMWH) Potentially Undervalued?

While WH Smith PLC (LON:SMWH) might not be the most widely known stock at the moment, it saw significant share price movement during recent months on the LSE, rising to highs of UK£15.03 and falling to the lows of UK£11.60. 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 WH Smith's current trading price of UK£12.49 reflective of the actual value of the small-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Let’s take a look at WH Smith’s outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change.

See our latest analysis for WH Smith

What's The Opportunity In WH Smith?

According to my valuation model, the stock is currently overvalued by about 24%, trading at UK£12.49 compared to my intrinsic value of £10.11. Not the best news for investors looking to buy! If you like the stock, you may want to keep an eye out for a potential price decline in the future. Since WH Smith’s share price is quite volatile, this could mean it can sink lower (or rise even further) in the future, giving us another chance to invest. This is based on its high beta, which is a good indicator for how much the stock moves relative to the rest of the market.

What kind of growth will WH Smith generate?

Investors looking for growth in their portfolio may want to consider the prospects of a company before buying its shares. 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 99% over the next couple of years, the future seems bright for WH Smith. 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? SMWH’s optimistic future growth appears to have been factored into the current share price, with shares trading above its fair value. At this current price, shareholders may be asking a different question – should I sell? If you believe SMWH should trade below its current price, selling high and buying it back up again when its price falls towards its real value 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 an eye on SMWH for a while, now may not be the best time to enter into the stock. The price has surpassed its true value, which means there’s no upside from mispricing. However, the optimistic prospect is encouraging for SMWH, which means it’s worth diving deeper into other factors in order to take advantage of the next price drop.

If you'd like to know more about WH Smith as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 1 warning sign with WH Smith, and understanding this should be part of your investment process.

If you are no longer interested in WH Smith, 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.