Why MDU Resources Group, Inc. (NYSE:MDU) Could Be Worth Watching

MDU Resources Group, Inc. (NYSE:MDU), might not be a large cap stock, but it saw significant share price movement during recent months on the NYSE, rising to highs of US$31.45 and falling to the lows of US$25.19. 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 MDU Resources Group's current trading price of US$27.23 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 MDU Resources Group’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 MDU Resources Group

What's the opportunity in MDU Resources Group?

Great news for investors – MDU Resources Group is still trading at a fairly cheap price according to my price multiple model, where I compare 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 MDU Resources Group’s ratio of 14.66x is below its peer average of 21.83x, which indicates the stock is trading at a lower price compared to the Construction industry. What’s more interesting is that, MDU Resources Group’s share price is quite stable, which could mean two things: firstly, it may take the share price a while to move closer to its industry peers, and secondly, there may be less chances to buy low in the future once it reaches that value. This is because the stock is less volatile than the wider market given its low beta.

What kind of growth will MDU Resources Group generate?

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. With profit expected to grow by 22% over the next couple of years, the future seems bright for MDU Resources Group. It looks like higher cash flow is on the cards for the stock, which should feed into a higher share valuation.

What this means for you:

Are you a shareholder? Since MDU is currently trading below the industry PE ratio, it may be a great time to accumulate more of your holdings in the stock. With a positive profit outlook on the horizon, it seems like this growth has not yet been fully factored into the share price. However, there are also other factors such as capital structure to consider, which could explain the current price multiple.

Are you a potential investor? If you’ve been keeping an eye on MDU for a while, now might be the time to make a leap. Its buoyant future profit outlook isn’t fully reflected in the current share price yet, which means it’s not too late to buy MDU. But before you make any investment decisions, consider other factors such as the track record of its management team, in order to make a well-informed assessment.

Keep in mind, when it comes to analysing a stock it's worth noting the risks involved. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for MDU Resources Group (of which 1 doesn't sit too well with us!) you should know about.

If you are no longer interested in MDU Resources Group, 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.