Is It Too Late To Consider Buying United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE:UNFI)?

United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE:UNFI), is not the largest company out there, but it received a lot of attention from a substantial price movement on the NYSE over the last few months, increasing to US$43.77 at one point, and dropping to the lows of US$23.32. 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 United Natural Foods' current trading price of US$23.32 reflective of the actual value of the small-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Let’s take a look at United Natural Foods’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 United Natural Foods

What Is United Natural Foods Worth?

Good news, investors! United Natural Foods 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 United Natural Foods’s ratio of 7.25x is below its peer average of 19.72x, which indicates the stock is trading at a lower price compared to the Consumer Retailing industry. However, given that United Natural Foods’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 United Natural Foods 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. 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. United Natural Foods' earnings growth are expected to be in the teens in the upcoming years, indicating a solid future ahead. This should lead to robust cash flows, feeding into a higher share value.

What This Means For You

Are you a shareholder? Since UNFI is currently trading below the industry PE ratio, it may be a great time to increase your holdings in the stock. With an optimistic 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 UNFI 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 UNFI. 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 investment decision.

If you want to dive deeper into United Natural Foods, you'd also look into what risks it is currently facing. When we did our research, we found 2 warning signs for United Natural Foods (1 is a bit unpleasant!) that we believe deserve your full attention.

If you are no longer interested in United Natural Foods, 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.