Is Inogen, Inc. (NASDAQ:INGN) Potentially Undervalued?
While Inogen, Inc. (NASDAQ:INGN) might not be the most widely known stock at the moment, it saw a decent share price growth in the teens level on the NASDAQGS over the last few months. 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? Today I will analyse the most recent data on Inogen’s outlook and valuation to see if the opportunity still exists.
View our latest analysis for Inogen
What's the opportunity in Inogen?
Inogen is currently expensive based on my price multiple model, where I look at the company's price-to-earnings ratio in comparison to the industry average. 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 65.03x is currently well-above the industry average of 47.27x, meaning that it is trading at a more expensive price relative to its peers. Furthermore, Inogen’s share price also seems relatively stable compared to the rest of the market, as indicated by its low beta. If you believe the share price should eventually reach levels around its industry peers, a low beta could suggest it is unlikely to rapidly do so anytime soon, and once it’s there, it may be hard to fall back down into an attractive buying range.
What kind of growth will Inogen 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. However, with an extremely negative double-digit change in profit expected over the next couple of years, near-term growth is certainly not a driver of a buy decision. It seems like high uncertainty is on the cards for Inogen, at least in the near future.
What this means for you:
Are you a shareholder? If you believe INGN is currently trading above its peers, selling high and buying it back up again when its price falls towards the industry PE ratio can be profitable. Given the risk from a negative growth outlook, this could be the right time to de-risk your portfolio. 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 tabs on INGN for some time, now may not be the best time to enter into the stock. The price has climbed past its industry peers, in addition to a risky future outlook. However, there are also other important factors which we haven’t considered today, such as the financial strength of the company. Should the price fall in the future, will you be well-informed enough to buy?
If you'd like to know more about Inogen as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for Inogen you should know about.
If you are no longer interested in Inogen, 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.
