Wanhua Chemical Group Co., Ltd. (SHSE:600309) saw a double-digit share price rise of over 10% in the past couple of months on the SHSE. The recent rally in share prices has nudged the company in the right direction, though it still falls short of its yearly peak. As a large-cap stock with high coverage by analysts, you could assume any recent changes in the company's outlook is already priced into the stock. However, could the stock still be trading at a relatively cheap price? Let's examine Wanhua Chemical Group's valuation and outlook in more detail to determine if there's still a bargain opportunity.

Is Wanhua Chemical Group Still Cheap?

Good news, investors! Wanhua Chemical Group 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. 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 16.35x is currently well-below the industry average of 31x, meaning that it is trading at a cheaper price relative to its peers. Wanhua Chemical 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.

Can we expect growth from Wanhua Chemical Group?

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. With profit expected to grow by 47% over the next couple of years, the future seems bright for Wanhua Chemical Group. 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? Since 600309 is currently trading below the industry PE ratio, it may be a great time to increase your holdings in the stock. With a positive profit 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 financial health to consider, which could explain the current price multiple.

Are you a potential investor? If you've been keeping an eye on 600309 for a while, now might be the time to make a leap. Its prosperous future profit outlook isn't fully reflected in the current share price yet, which means it's not too late to buy 600309. But before you make any investment decisions, consider other factors such as the track record of its management team, in order to make a well-informed investment decision.

With this in mind, we wouldn't consider investing in a stock unless we had a thorough understanding of the risks. Our analysis shows 3 warning signs for Wanhua Chemical Group (1 makes us a bit uncomfortable!) and we strongly recommend you look at them before investing.

If you are no longer interested in Wanhua Chemical Group, 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.