Is Now An Opportune Moment To Examine U.S. Physical Therapy, Inc. (NYSE:USPH)?

While U.S. Physical Therapy, Inc. (NYSE:USPH) might not be the most widely known stock at the moment, it received a lot of attention from a substantial price increase on the NYSE over the last few months. With many analysts covering the 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 U.S. Physical Therapy’s outlook and valuation to see if the opportunity still exists.

View our latest analysis for U.S. Physical Therapy

What Is U.S. Physical Therapy Worth?

U.S. Physical Therapy is currently expensive based on my price multiple model, where I look at the company's price-to-earnings ratio in comparison 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 U.S. Physical Therapy’s ratio of 32.16x is above its peer average of 21.25x, which suggests the stock is trading at a higher price compared to the Healthcare industry. But, is there another opportunity to buy low in the future? Given that U.S. Physical Therapy’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 kind of growth will U.S. Physical Therapy generate?

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. Though in the case of U.S. Physical Therapy, it is expected to deliver a relatively unexciting earnings growth of 5.5%, which doesn’t help build up its investment thesis. Growth doesn’t appear to be a main reason for a buy decision for the company, at least in the near term.

What This Means For You

Are you a shareholder? It seems like the market has well and truly priced in USPH’s outlook, with shares trading above industry price multiples. At this current price, shareholders may be asking a different question – should I sell? If you believe USPH should trade below its current price, selling high and buying it back up again when its price falls towards the industry PE ratio can be profitable. But before you make this decision, take a look at whether its fundamentals have changed.

Are you a potential investor? If you’ve been keeping an eye on USPH for a while, now may not be the best time to enter into the stock. The price has surpassed its industry peers, which means it is likely that there is no more upside from mispricing. However, the positive growth outlook may mean it’s worth diving deeper into other factors in order to take advantage of the next price drop.

So while earnings quality is important, it's equally important to consider the risks facing U.S. Physical Therapy at this point in time. At Simply Wall St, we found 2 warning signs for U.S. Physical Therapy and we think they deserve your attention.

If you are no longer interested in U.S. Physical Therapy, 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.