Is LKQ Corporation (NASDAQ:LKQ) Potentially Undervalued?

Today we're going to take a look at the well-established LKQ Corporation (NASDAQ:LKQ). The company's stock received a lot of attention from a substantial price movement on the NASDAQGS over the last few months, increasing to US$58.96 at one point, and dropping to the lows of US$53.06. 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 LKQ's current trading price of US$56.76 reflective of the actual value of the large-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Let’s take a look at LKQ’s outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change.

See our latest analysis for LKQ

Is LKQ Still Cheap?

The stock seems fairly valued at the moment according to my valuation model. It’s trading around 8.2% below my intrinsic value, which means if you buy LKQ today, you’d be paying a fair price for it. And if you believe that the stock is really worth $61.82, then there isn’t much room for the share price grow beyond what it’s currently trading. Although, there may be an opportunity to buy in the future. This is because LKQ’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.

What kind of growth will LKQ generate?

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 a negative profit growth of -2.2% expected over the next couple of years, near-term growth certainly doesn’t appear to be a driver for a buy decision for LKQ. This certainty tips the risk-return scale towards higher risk.

What This Means For You

Are you a shareholder? Currently, LKQ appears to be trading around its fair value, but given the uncertainty from negative returns in the future, this could be the right time to reduce the risk in your portfolio. Is your current exposure to the stock optimal for your total portfolio? And is the opportunity cost of holding a negative-outlook stock too high? Before you make a decision on the stock, take a look at whether its fundamentals have changed.

Are you a potential investor? If you’ve been keeping tabs on LKQ for a while, now may not be the most optimal time to buy, given it is trading around its fair value. The price seems to be trading at fair value, which means there’s less benefit from mispricing. Furthermore, the negative growth outlook increases the risk of holding the stock. However, there are also other important factors we haven’t considered today, which can help gel your views on LKQ should the price fluctuate below its true value.

In light of this, if you'd like to do more analysis on the company, it's vital to be informed of the risks involved. While conducting our analysis, we found that LKQ has 3 warning signs and it would be unwise to ignore them.

If you are no longer interested in LKQ, 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.