Should You Investigate Pinterest, Inc. (NYSE:PINS) At US$35.89?

Pinterest, Inc. (NYSE:PINS) led the NYSE gainers with a relatively large price hike in the past couple of weeks. The recent rally in share prices has nudged the company in the right direction, though it still falls short of its yearly peak. 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, could the stock still be trading at a relatively cheap price? Let’s take a look at Pinterest’s outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if the opportunity still exists.

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Is Pinterest Still Cheap?

Good news, investors! Pinterest is still a bargain right now according to our price multiple model, which compares the company's price-to-earnings ratio to the industry average. In this instance, we’ve used the price-to-earnings (PE) ratio given that there is not enough information to reliably forecast the stock’s cash flows. we find that Pinterest’s ratio of 12.81x is below its peer average of 16.95x, which indicates the stock is trading at a lower price compared to the Interactive Media and Services industry. Pinterest’s share price also seems relatively stable compared to the rest of the market, as indicated by its low beta. If you believe the share price should eventually reach its industry peers, a low beta could suggest it is unlikely to rapidly do so anytime soon, and once it’s there, it may be hard to fall back down into an attractive buying range.

See our latest analysis for Pinterest

What does the future of Pinterest look like?

Investors looking for growth in their portfolio may want to consider the prospects of a company before buying its shares. 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 Pinterest, at least in the near future.

What This Means For You

Are you a shareholder? Although PINS is currently trading below the industry PE ratio, the negative profit outlook does bring on some uncertainty, which equates to higher risk. We recommend you think about whether you want to increase your portfolio exposure to PINS, 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 PINS for a while, but hesitant on making the leap, we 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.

With this in mind, we wouldn't consider investing in a stock unless we had a thorough understanding of the risks. You'd be interested to know, that we found 2 warning signs for Pinterest and you'll want to know about them.

If you are no longer interested in Pinterest, 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.