Shanghai Bailian (Group) Co., Ltd. (SHSE:600827), might not be a large cap stock, but it saw a double-digit share price rise of over 10% in the past couple of months on the SHSE. While good news for shareholders, the company has traded much higher in the past year. As a well-established company, which tends to be well-covered by analysts, you could assume any recent changes in the company's outlook is already priced into the stock. However, what if the stock is still a bargain? Let's examine Shanghai Bailian (Group)'s valuation and outlook in more detail to determine if there's still a bargain opportunity.

Is Shanghai Bailian (Group) Still Cheap?

Great news for investors – Shanghai Bailian (Group) is still trading at a fairly cheap price according to our price multiple model, where we compare the company's price-to-earnings ratio to the industry average. We've used the price-to-earnings ratio in this instance because there's not enough visibility to forecast its cash flows. The stock's ratio of 13.03x is currently well-below the industry average of 28.06x, meaning that it is trading at a cheaper price relative to its peers. Shanghai Bailian (Group)'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.

What kind of growth will Shanghai Bailian (Group) 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. 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 Shanghai Bailian (Group), it is expected to deliver a highly negative earnings growth in the next few years, 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 600827 is currently trading below the industry PE ratio, the adverse prospect of negative growth brings about some degree of risk. We recommend you think about whether you want to increase your portfolio exposure to 600827, 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 600827 for a while, but hesitant on making the leap, we recommend you dig deeper 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.

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. To help with this, we've discovered 3 warning signs (1 is concerning!) that you ought to be aware of before buying any shares in Shanghai Bailian (Group).

If you are no longer interested in Shanghai Bailian (Group), you can use our free platform to see our list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
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.