BAIC Motor Corporation Limited (HKG:1958), might not be a large cap stock, but it received a lot of attention from a substantial price increase on the SEHK over the last few months. With many analysts covering the mid-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 examine BAIC Motor's valuation and outlook in more detail to determine if there's still a bargain opportunity.

Check out our latest analysis for BAIC Motor

What Is BAIC Motor Worth?

According to my price multiple model, which makes a comparison between the company's price-to-earnings ratio and the industry average, the stock price seems to be justfied. 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 BAIC Motor's ratio of 3.68x is trading slightly below its industry peers' ratio of 8.06x, which means if you buy BAIC Motor today, you'd be paying a reasonable price for it. And if you believe that BAIC Motor should be trading at this level in the long run, then there's not much of an upside to gain over and above other industry peers. In addition to this, it seems like BAIC Motor's share price is quite stable, which could mean there may be less chances to buy low in the future now that it's trading around the price multiples of other industry peers. This is because the stock is less volatile than the wider market given its low beta.

What kind of growth will BAIC Motor 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. With profit expected to grow by 25% over the next couple of years, the future seems bright for BAIC Motor. It looks like higher cash flow is on the cards for the stock, which should feed into a higher share valuation.

What This Means For You

Are you a shareholder? 1958's optimistic future growth appears to have been factored into the current share price, with shares trading around industry price multiples. However, there are also other important factors which we haven't considered today, such as the financial strength of the company. Have these factors changed since the last time you looked at 1958? Will you have enough confidence to invest in the company should the price drop below the industry PE ratio?

Are you a potential investor? If you've been keeping an eye on 1958, now may not be the most optimal time to buy, given it is trading around industry price multiples. However, the positive outlook is encouraging for 1958, which means it's worth further examining other factors such as the strength of its balance sheet, in order to take advantage of the next price drop.

So if you'd like to dive deeper into this stock, it's crucial to consider any risks it's facing. For example, we've discovered 1 warning sign that you should run your eye over to get a better picture of BAIC Motor.

If you are no longer interested in BAIC Motor, 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.