SolarWinds Corporation (NYSE:SWI), is not the largest company out there, but it led the NYSE gainers with a relatively large price hike in the past couple of weeks. The company's trading levels have reached its high for the past year, following the recent bounce in the share price. As a mid-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 SolarWinds's valuation and outlook in more detail to determine if there's still a bargain opportunity.
What Is SolarWinds Worth?
According to our price multiple model, where we compare the company's price-to-earnings ratio to the industry average, the stock currently looks expensive. 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 57.32x is currently well-above the industry average of 38.51x, meaning that it is trading at a more expensive price relative to its peers. In addition to this, it seems like SolarWinds's share price is quite stable, which could mean two things: firstly, it may take the share price a while to fall back down to an attractive buying range, 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 kind of growth will SolarWinds generate?
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. Though in the case of SolarWinds, it is expected to deliver a relatively unexciting top-line growth of 8.4% in the next few years, which doesn't help build up its investment thesis. Growth doesn't appear to be a main reason for a buy decision for the company, at least in the near term.
What This Means For You
Are you a shareholder? It seems like the market has well and truly priced in SWI's outlook, with shares trading above industry price multiples. However, this brings up another question – is now the right time to sell? If you believe SWI should trade below its current price, selling high and buying it back up again when its price falls towards the industry PE ratio can be profitable. But before you make this decision, take a look at whether its fundamentals have changed.
Are you a potential investor? If you've been keeping an eye on SWI for a while, now may not be the best time to enter into the stock. The price has surpassed its industry peers, which means it is likely that there is no more upside from mispricing. However, the positive growth outlook may mean it's worth diving deeper into other factors in order to take advantage of the next price drop.
So while earnings quality is important, it's equally important to consider the risks facing SolarWinds at this point in time. For instance, we've identified 3 warning signs for SolarWinds (1 doesn't sit too well with us) you should be familiar with.
If you are no longer interested in SolarWinds, 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.
