While PTC India Limited (NSE:PTC) might not be the most widely known stock at the moment, it saw a significant share price rise of over 20% in the past couple of months on the NSEI. As a small cap stock, hardly covered by any analysts, there is generally more of an opportunity for mispricing as there is less activity to push the stock closer to fair value. Is there still an opportunity here to buy? Let’s examine PTC India’s valuation and outlook in more detail to determine if there’s still a bargain opportunity.
See our latest analysis for PTC India
What's The Opportunity In PTC India?
Good news, investors! PTC India 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. 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 PTC India’s ratio of 11.24x is below its peer average of 19.24x, which indicates the stock is trading at a lower price compared to the Renewable Energy industry. PTC India’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.
Can we expect growth from PTC India?
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 PTC India, it is expected to deliver a negative earnings growth of -14%, 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 PTC is currently trading below the industry PE ratio, the adverse prospect of negative growth brings about some degree of risk. Consider whether you want to increase your portfolio exposure to PTC, 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 PTC for a while, but hesitant on making the leap, I recommend you dig deeper into the stock. Given its current price multiple, now is a great time to make a decision. But keep in mind the risks that come with negative growth prospects in the future.
With this in mind, we wouldn't consider investing in a stock unless we had a thorough understanding of the risks. To help with this, we've discovered 4 warning signs (2 are concerning!) that you ought to be aware of before buying any shares in PTC India.
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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.
About NSEI:PTC
PTC India
Engages in the trading of power in India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh.
Excellent balance sheet established dividend payer.