Should You Think About Buying First Pacific Company Limited (HKG:142) Now?

First Pacific Company Limited (HKG:142), is not the largest company out there, but it saw a double-digit share price rise of over 10% in the past couple of months on the SEHK. Less-covered, small caps sees more of an opportunity for mispricing due to the lack of information available to the public, which can be a good thing. So, could the stock still be trading at a low price relative to its actual value? Today I will analyse the most recent data on First Pacific’s outlook and valuation to see if the opportunity still exists.

Check out our latest analysis for First Pacific

What Is First Pacific Worth?

Good news, investors! First Pacific 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 3.42x is currently well-below the industry average of 15.2x, meaning that it is trading at a cheaper price relative to its peers. First Pacific’s share price also seems relatively stable compared to the rest of the market, as indicated by its low beta. If you believe the share price should eventually reach its industry peers, a low beta could suggest it is unlikely to rapidly do so anytime soon, and once it’s there, it may be hard to fall back down into an attractive buying range.

What kind of growth will First Pacific 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 40% over the next couple of years, the future seems bright for First Pacific. 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? Since 142 is currently trading below the industry PE ratio, it may be a great time to increase your holdings in the stock. With an optimistic profit 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 capital structure to consider, which could explain the current price multiple.

Are you a potential investor? If you’ve been keeping an eye on 142 for a while, now might be the time to enter the stock. Its prosperous future profit outlook isn’t fully reflected in the current share price yet, which means it’s not too late to buy 142. But before you make any investment decisions, consider other factors such as the track record of its management team, in order to make a well-informed investment decision.

So if you'd like to dive deeper into this stock, it's crucial to consider any risks it's facing. For example, we've found that First Pacific has 2 warning signs (1 is significant!) that deserve your attention before going any further with your analysis.

If you are no longer interested in First Pacific, 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.