Should You Think About Buying Haverty Furniture Companies, Inc. (NYSE:HVT) Now?

While Haverty Furniture Companies, Inc. (NYSE:HVT) might not have the largest market cap around , it saw significant share price movement during recent months on the NYSE, rising to highs of US$36.57 and falling to the lows of US$30.56. 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 Haverty Furniture Companies' current trading price of US$32.78 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 Haverty Furniture Companies’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 Haverty Furniture Companies

What Is Haverty Furniture Companies Worth?

Good news, investors! Haverty Furniture Companies 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 Haverty Furniture Companies’s ratio of 8.2x is below its peer average of 15.08x, which indicates the stock is trading at a lower price compared to the Specialty Retail industry. Although, there may be another chance to buy again in the future. This is because Haverty Furniture Companies’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.

Can we expect growth from Haverty Furniture Companies?

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. Though in the case of Haverty Furniture Companies, it is expected to deliver a negative earnings growth of -9.0%, which doesn’t help build up its investment thesis. It appears that risk of future uncertainty is high, at least in the near term.

What This Means For You

Are you a shareholder? Although HVT is currently trading below the industry PE ratio, the adverse prospect of negative growth brings about some degree of risk. Consider whether you want to increase your portfolio exposure to HVT, 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 tabs on HVT for some time, 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.

Keep in mind, when it comes to analysing a stock it's worth noting the risks involved. For example, Haverty Furniture Companies has 3 warning signs (and 1 which is significant) we think you should know about.

If you are no longer interested in Haverty Furniture Companies, 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.