Let's talk about the popular DaVita Inc. (NYSE:DVA). The company's shares led the NYSE gainers with a relatively large price hike in the past couple of weeks. The recent jump in the share price has meant that the company is trading at close to its 52-week high. 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 DaVita's outlook and valuation to see if the opportunity still exists.

What's The Opportunity In DaVita?

Good news, investors! DaVita 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 DaVita's ratio of 15.7x is below its peer average of 24.66x, which indicates the stock is trading at a lower price compared to the Healthcare industry. What's more interesting is that, DaVita's share price is quite stable, which could mean two things: firstly, it may take the share price a while to move closer to its industry peers, and secondly, there may be less chances to buy low in the future once it reaches that value. This is because the stock is less volatile than the wider market given its low beta.

What does the future of DaVita look like?

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. However, with a relatively muted profit growth of 3.4% expected over the next couple of years, growth doesn't seem like a key driver for a buy decision for DaVita, at least in the short term.

What This Means For You

Are you a shareholder? Even though growth is relatively muted, since DVA is currently trading below the industry PE ratio, it may be a great time to accumulate more of your holdings in the stock. 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 DVA for a while, now might be the time to enter the stock. Its future profit outlook isn't fully reflected in the current share price yet, which means it's not too late to buy DVA. 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.

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. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 2 warning signs with DaVita, and understanding these should be part of your investment process.

If you are no longer interested in DaVita, 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.