Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE:GPI), 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 NYSE. 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 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 Group 1 Automotive's valuation and outlook in more detail to determine if there's still a bargain opportunity.

See our latest analysis for Group 1 Automotive

What's The Opportunity In Group 1 Automotive?

Great news for investors – Group 1 Automotive 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 5.9x is currently well-below the industry average of 13.83x, meaning that it is trading at a cheaper price relative to its peers. What's more interesting is that, Group 1 Automotive's share price is quite volatile, which gives us more chances to buy since the share price could sink lower (or rise higher) in the future. This is based on its high beta, which is a good indicator for how much the stock moves relative to the rest of the market.

What does the future of Group 1 Automotive 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. Though in the case of Group 1 Automotive, 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 GPI is currently trading below the industry PE ratio, the negative profit outlook does bring on some uncertainty, which equates to higher risk. Consider whether you want to increase your portfolio exposure to GPI, 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 GPI for a while, but hesitant on making the leap, we recommend you research further 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.

If you'd like to know more about Group 1 Automotive as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. You'd be interested to know, that we found 2 warning signs for Group 1 Automotive and you'll want to know about these.

If you are no longer interested in Group 1 Automotive, 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.