Should You Investigate China MeiDong Auto Holdings Limited (HKG:1268) At HK$9.15?

While China MeiDong Auto Holdings Limited (HKG:1268) might not be the most widely known stock at the moment, it saw a double-digit share price rise of over 10% in the past couple of months on the SEHK. With many analysts covering the stock, we may expect any price-sensitive announcements have already been factored into the stock’s share price. But what if there is still an opportunity to buy? Let’s examine China MeiDong Auto Holdings’s valuation and outlook in more detail to determine if there’s still a bargain opportunity.

See our latest analysis for China MeiDong Auto Holdings

Is China MeiDong Auto Holdings Still Cheap?

According to my price multiple model, where I compare the company's price-to-earnings ratio to the industry average, the stock currently looks expensive. In this instance, I’ve used the price-to-earnings (PE) ratio given that there is not enough information to reliably forecast the stock’s cash flows. I find that China MeiDong Auto Holdings’s ratio of 21.71x is above its peer average of 10.43x, which suggests the stock is trading at a higher price compared to the Specialty Retail industry. Furthermore, China MeiDong Auto Holdings’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.

What does the future of China MeiDong Auto Holdings look like?

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. 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. China MeiDong Auto Holdings' earnings over the next few years are expected to double, indicating a very optimistic future ahead. This should lead to stronger cash flows, feeding into a higher share value.

What This Means For You

Are you a shareholder? It seems like the market has well and truly priced in 1268’s positive outlook, with shares trading above industry price multiples. However, this brings up another question – is now the right time to sell? If you believe 1268 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 1268 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 1268, which means it’s worth diving deeper into other factors in order to take advantage of the next price drop.

With this in mind, we wouldn't consider investing in a stock unless we had a thorough understanding of the risks. At Simply Wall St, we found 3 warning signs for China MeiDong Auto Holdings and we think they deserve your attention.

If you are no longer interested in China MeiDong Auto Holdings, 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.