Today we're going to take a look at the well-established Hengli Petrochemical Co.,Ltd. (SHSE:600346). The company's stock led the SHSE gainers with a relatively large price hike in the past couple of weeks. Shareholders may appreciate the recent price jump, but the company still has a way to go before reaching its yearly highs again. 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. But what if there is still an opportunity to buy? Today we will analyse the most recent data on Hengli PetrochemicalLtd's outlook and valuation to see if the opportunity still exists.

What's The Opportunity In Hengli PetrochemicalLtd?

Great news for investors – Hengli PetrochemicalLtd 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. 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 Hengli PetrochemicalLtd's ratio of 15.17x is below its peer average of 29.12x, which indicates the stock is trading at a lower price compared to the Chemicals industry. Another thing to keep in mind is that Hengli PetrochemicalLtd's share price is quite stable relative to the rest of the market, as indicated by its low beta. This means that if you believe the current share price should move towards its industry peers, a low beta could suggest it is not likely to reach that level anytime soon, and once it's there, it may be hard to fall back down into an attractive buying range again.

What does the future of Hengli PetrochemicalLtd look like?

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. Hengli PetrochemicalLtd's earnings over the next few years are expected to double, indicating a very optimistic future ahead. This should lead to stronger cash flows, feeding into a higher share value.

What This Means For You

Are you a shareholder? Since 600346 is currently below the industry PE ratio, it may be a great time to increase your holdings in the stock. With a positive outlook on the horizon, it seems like this growth has not yet been fully factored into the share price. However, there are also other factors such as capital structure to consider, which could explain the current price multiple.

Are you a potential investor? If you've been keeping an eye on 600346 for a while, now might be the time to enter the stock. Its buoyant future profit outlook isn't fully reflected in the current share price yet, which means it's not too late to buy 600346. But before you make any investment decisions, consider other factors such as the strength of its balance sheet, in order to make a well-informed assessment.

If you'd like to know more about Hengli PetrochemicalLtd as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. Our analysis shows 2 warning signs for Hengli PetrochemicalLtd (1 is a bit unpleasant!) and we strongly recommend you look at them before investing.

If you are no longer interested in Hengli PetrochemicalLtd, 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.