When Should You Buy L.B. Foster Company (NASDAQ:FSTR)?

L.B. Foster Company (NASDAQ:FSTR), is not the largest company out there, but it saw a decent share price growth in the teens level on the NASDAQGS over the last few months. 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 L.B. Foster’s valuation and outlook in more detail to determine if there’s still a bargain opportunity.

See our latest analysis for L.B. Foster

Is L.B. Foster still cheap?

Good news, investors! L.B. Foster 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. 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 6.71x is currently well-below the industry average of 34.99x, meaning that it is trading at a cheaper price relative to its peers. Although, there may be another chance to buy again in the future. This is because L.B. Foster’s beta (a measure of share price volatility) is high, meaning its price movements will be exaggerated relative to the rest of the market. If the market is bearish, the company’s shares will likely fall by more than the rest of the market, providing a prime buying opportunity.

Can we expect growth from L.B. Foster?

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. Though in the case of L.B. Foster, it is expected to deliver a highly negative earnings growth in the next few years, 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 FSTR is currently trading below the industry PE ratio, the negative profit outlook does bring on some uncertainty, which equates to higher risk. Consider whether you want to increase your portfolio exposure to FSTR, 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 FSTR for a while, but hesitant on making the leap, I recommend you research further 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.

If you'd like to know more about L.B. Foster as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. For example, we've found that L.B. Foster has 2 warning signs (1 can't be ignored!) that deserve your attention before going any further with your analysis.

If you are no longer interested in L.B. Foster, 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. 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.
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