When Should You Buy Skanska AB (publ) (STO:SKA B)?

Skanska AB (publ) (STO:SKA B), might not be a large cap stock, but it saw significant share price movement during recent months on the OM, rising to highs of kr195 and falling to the lows of kr146. 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 Skanska's current trading price of kr148 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 Skanska’s outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change.

View our latest analysis for Skanska

Is Skanska Still Cheap?

Great news for investors – Skanska is still trading at a fairly cheap price. According to my valuation, the intrinsic value for the stock is SEK200.81, which is above what the market is valuing the company at the moment. This indicates a potential opportunity to buy low. However, given that Skanska’s share is fairly volatile (i.e. its price movements are magnified relative to the rest of the market) this could mean the price can sink lower, giving us another chance to buy in the future. This is based on its high beta, which is a good indicator for share price volatility.

What does the future of Skanska 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. However, with a negative profit growth of -20% expected over the next couple of years, near-term growth certainly doesn’t appear to be a driver for a buy decision for Skanska. This certainty tips the risk-return scale towards higher risk.

What This Means For You

Are you a shareholder? Although SKA B is currently undervalued, the negative outlook does bring on some uncertainty, which equates to higher risk. I recommend you think about whether you want to increase your portfolio exposure to SKA B, 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 tabs on SKA B for some time, but hesitant on making the leap, I recommend you dig deeper 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.

In light of this, if you'd like to do more analysis on the company, it's vital to be informed of the risks involved. At Simply Wall St, we found 1 warning sign for Skanska and we think they deserve your attention.

If you are no longer interested in Skanska, 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.