While AdvanSix Inc. (NYSE:ASIX) might not have the largest market cap around , it saw a double-digit share price rise of over 10% in the past couple of months on the NYSE. The company's trading levels have approached the yearly peak, following the recent bounce in the share price. As a small cap stock, hardly covered by any analysts, there is generally more of an opportunity for mispricing as there is less activity to push the stock closer to fair value. Is there still an opportunity here to buy? Today we will analyse the most recent data on AdvanSix's outlook and valuation to see if the opportunity still exists.
Is AdvanSix Still Cheap?
According to our 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. 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 AdvanSix's ratio of 21.89x is trading slightly below its industry peers' ratio of 26.28x, which means if you buy AdvanSix today, you'd be paying a reasonable price for it. And if you believe that AdvanSix should be trading at this level in the long run, then there's not much of an upside to gain over and above other industry peers. Is there another opportunity to buy low in the future? Since AdvanSix's share price is quite volatile, we could potentially see it sink lower (or rise higher) in the future, giving us another chance to buy. 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 AdvanSix look like?
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. In AdvanSix's case, its earnings over the next year are expected to double, indicating an incredibly 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? It seems like the market has already priced in ASIX's positive outlook, with shares trading around industry price multiples. However, there are also other important factors which we haven't considered today, such as the financial strength of the company. Have these factors changed since the last time you looked at ASIX? Will you have enough confidence to invest in the company should the price drop below the industry PE ratio?
Are you a potential investor? If you've been keeping an eye on ASIX, now may not be the most optimal time to buy, given it is trading around industry price multiples. However, the positive outlook is encouraging for ASIX, which means it's worth further examining other factors such as the strength of its balance sheet, in order to take advantage of the next price drop.
If you'd like to know more about AdvanSix as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. For example, we've discovered 2 warning signs that you should run your eye over to get a better picture of AdvanSix.
If you are no longer interested in AdvanSix, 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.