While Veeco Instruments Inc. (NASDAQ:VECO) might not be the most widely known stock at the moment, it saw a double-digit share price rise of over 10% in the past couple of months on the NASDAQGS. As a 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 take a look at Veeco Instruments's outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if the opportunity still exists.

View our latest analysis for Veeco Instruments

Is Veeco Instruments Still Cheap?

According to my price multiple model, which makes a comparison between the company's price-to-earnings ratio and the industry average, the stock price seems to be justfied. I'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 20.48x is currently trading in-line with its industry peers' ratio, which means if you buy Veeco Instruments today, you'd be paying a relatively sensible price for it. So, is there another chance to buy low in the future? Given that Veeco Instruments's share is fairly volatile (i.e. its price movements are magnified relative to the rest of the market) this could mean the price can sink lower, giving us an opportunity to buy later on. This is based on its high beta, which is a good indicator for share price volatility.

What does the future of Veeco Instruments 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. 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. However, with a negative profit growth of -11% expected over the next couple of years, near-term growth certainly doesn't appear to be a driver for a buy decision for Veeco Instruments. This certainty tips the risk-return scale towards higher risk.

What This Means For You

Are you a shareholder? Currently, VECO appears to be trading around industry price multiples, but given the uncertainty from negative returns in the future, this could be the right time to de-risk your portfolio. Is your current exposure to the stock beneficial for your total portfolio? And is the opportunity cost of holding a negative-outlook stock too high? Before you make a decision on VECO, take a look at whether its fundamentals have changed.

Are you a potential investor? If you've been keeping an eye on VECO for a while, now may not be the most optimal time to buy, given it is trading around industry price multiples. This means there's less benefit from mispricing. In addition to this, the negative growth outlook increases the risk of holding the stock. However, there are also other important factors we haven't considered today, which can help crystallize your views on VECO should the price fluctuate below the industry PE ratio.

So while earnings quality is important, it's equally important to consider the risks facing Veeco Instruments at this point in time. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 2 warning signs with Veeco Instruments, and understanding these should be part of your investment process.

If you are no longer interested in Veeco Instruments, 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.