Stock Analysis

    At S$3.44, Is It Time To Put CapitaLand Limited (SGX:C31) On Your Watch List?

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    Today we're going to take a look at the well-established CapitaLand Limited (SGX:C31). The company's stock saw a decent share price growth in the teens level on the SGX over the last few months. With many analysts covering the large-cap stock, we may expect any price-sensitive announcements have already been factored into the stock’s share price. However, what if the stock is still a bargain? Today I will analyse the most recent data on CapitaLand’s outlook and valuation to see if the opportunity still exists.

    View our latest analysis for CapitaLand

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    What is CapitaLand worth?

    According to my relative valuation model, the stock seems to be currently fairly priced. 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 CapitaLand’s ratio of 8.18x is trading slightly below its industry peers’ ratio of 9.08x, which means if you buy CapitaLand today, you’d be paying a reasonable price for it. And if you believe that CapitaLand should be trading at this level in the long run, then there’s not much of an upside to gain from mispricing. Furthermore, CapitaLand’s share price also seems relatively stable compared to the rest of the market, as indicated by its low beta. This may mean it is less likely for the stock to fall lower from natural market volatility, which suggests less opportunities to buy moving forward.

    What kind of growth will CapitaLand generate?

    SGX:C31 Past and Future Earnings, March 18th 2019
    SGX:C31 Past and Future Earnings, March 18th 2019
    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. However, with an extremely negative double-digit change in profit expected over the next couple of years, near-term growth is certainly not a driver of a buy decision. It seems like high uncertainty is on the cards for CapitaLand, at least in the near future.

    What this means for you:

    Are you a shareholder? Currently, C31 appears to be trading around its fair value, but given the uncertainty from negative returns in the future, this could be the right time to de-risk your portfolio. Is your current exposure to the stock optimal for your total portfolio? And is the opportunity cost of holding a negative-outlook stock too high? Before you make a decision on C31, take a look at whether its fundamentals have changed.

    Are you a potential investor? If you’ve been keeping tabs on C31 for a while, now may not be the most advantageous time to buy, given it is trading around its fair value. The stock appears to be trading at fair value, which means there’s less benefit from mispricing. Furthermore, the negative growth outlook increases the risk of holding the stock. However, there are also other important factors we haven’t considered today, which can help crystalize your views on C31 should the price fluctuate below its true value.

    Price is just the tip of the iceberg. Dig deeper into what truly matters – the fundamentals – before you make a decision on CapitaLand. You can find everything you need to know about CapitaLand in the latest infographic research report. If you are no longer interested in CapitaLand, you can use our free platform to see my list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential.

    We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.

    If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.