At HK$50.20, Is It Time To Put Swire Pacific Limited (HKG:19) On Your Watch List?

While Swire Pacific Limited (HKG:19) might not be the most widely known stock at the moment, it saw significant share price movement during recent months on the SEHK, rising to highs of HK$66.75 and falling to the lows of HK$50.20. 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 Swire Pacific's current trading price of HK$50.20 reflective of the actual value of the mid-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Let’s take a look at Swire Pacific’s outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change.

Check out our latest analysis for Swire Pacific

Is Swire Pacific Still Cheap?

Swire Pacific appears to be expensive according to my price multiple model, which makes a comparison between the company's price-to-earnings ratio and 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 10.99x is currently well-above the industry average of 6.88x, meaning that it is trading at a more expensive price relative to its peers. Furthermore, Swire 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 levels around 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.

Can we expect growth from Swire Pacific?

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. With profit expected to grow by 65% over the next couple of years, the future seems bright for Swire 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? 19’s optimistic future growth appears to have been factored into the current share price, with shares trading above industry price multiples. At this current price, shareholders may be asking a different question – should I sell? If you believe 19 should trade below its current price, selling high and buying it back up again when its price falls towards the industry PE ratio 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 tabs on 19 for some time, now may not be the best time to enter into the stock. The price has surpassed its industry peers, which means it is likely that there is no more upside from mispricing. However, the optimistic prospect is encouraging for 19, 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 Swire Pacific as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. At Simply Wall St, we found 1 warning sign for Swire Pacific and we think they deserve your attention.

If you are no longer interested in Swire 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.