Perfect World Co., Ltd. (SZSE:002624), might not be a large cap stock, but it saw a significant share price rise of 37% in the past couple of months on the SZSE. The recent rally in share prices has nudged the company in the right direction, though it still falls short of its yearly peak. 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 take a look at Perfect World's outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if the opportunity still exists.

What Is Perfect World Worth?

Good news, investors! Perfect World 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 44.25x is currently well-below the industry average of 59.87x, meaning that it is trading at a cheaper price relative to its peers. What's more interesting is that, Perfect World'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.

Can we expect growth from Perfect World?

Investors looking for growth in their portfolio may want to consider the prospects of a company before buying its shares. Buying a great company with a robust outlook at a cheap price is always a good investment, so let's also take a look at the company's future expectations. Perfect World'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 002624 is currently trading below the industry PE ratio, it may be a great time to accumulate more of 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 capital structure to consider, which could explain the current price multiple.

Are you a potential investor? If you've been keeping an eye on 002624 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 002624. 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 assessment.

So while earnings quality is important, it's equally important to consider the risks facing Perfect World at this point in time. To help with this, we've discovered 3 warning signs (1 shouldn't be ignored!) that you ought to be aware of before buying any shares in Perfect World.

If you are no longer interested in Perfect World, 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.