Is It Too Late To Consider Buying Centrica plc (LON:CNA)?

While Centrica plc (LON:CNA) might not have the largest market cap around , it saw a double-digit share price rise of over 10% in the past couple of months on the LSE. Shareholders may appreciate the recent price jump, but the company still has a way to go before reaching its yearly highs again. With many analysts covering the mid-cap stock, we may expect any price-sensitive announcements have already been factored into the stock’s share price. However, could the stock still be trading at a relatively cheap price? Let’s examine Centrica’s valuation and outlook in more detail to determine if there’s still a bargain opportunity.

Check out our latest analysis for Centrica

What's The Opportunity In Centrica?

Good news, investors! Centrica is still a bargain right now. According to our valuation, the intrinsic value for the stock is £1.79, which is above what the market is valuing the company at the moment. This indicates a potential opportunity to buy low. Although, there may be another chance to buy again in the future. This is because Centrica’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 Centrica?

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. Though in the case of Centrica, it is expected to deliver a highly negative earnings growth in the next few years, which doesn’t help build up its investment thesis. It appears that risk of future uncertainty is high, at least in the near term.

What This Means For You

Are you a shareholder? Although CNA is currently undervalued, the negative outlook does bring on some uncertainty, which equates to higher risk. Consider whether you want to increase your portfolio exposure to CNA, or whether diversifying into another stock may be a better move for your total risk and return.

Are you a potential investor? If you’ve been keeping an eye on CNA for a while, but hesitant on making the leap, we recommend you research further into the stock. Given its current undervaluation, now is a great time to make a decision. But keep in mind the risks that come with negative growth prospects in the future.

If you'd like to know more about Centrica as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. Case in point: We've spotted 4 warning signs for Centrica you should be mindful of and 2 of them don't sit too well with us.

If you are no longer interested in Centrica, 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.