Is Now An Opportune Moment To Examine Appian Corporation (NASDAQ:APPN)?

While Appian Corporation (NASDAQ:APPN) might not be the most widely known stock at the moment, it saw significant share price movement during recent months on the NASDAQGM, rising to highs of US$235 and falling to the lows of US$106. Some share price movements can give investors a better opportunity to enter into the stock, and potentially buy at a lower price. A question to answer is whether Appian's current trading price of US$106 reflective of the actual value of the mid-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Let’s take a look at Appian’s outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change.

See our latest analysis for Appian

What's the opportunity in Appian?

Appian appears to be overvalued by 21% at the moment, based on my discounted cash flow valuation. The stock is currently priced at US$106 on the market compared to my intrinsic value of $88.06. This means that the buying opportunity has probably disappeared for now. But, is there another opportunity to buy low in the future? Since Appian’s share price is quite volatile, this could mean it can sink lower (or rise even further) in the future, giving us another chance to invest. 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 Appian look like?

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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. Although value investors would argue that it’s the intrinsic value relative to the price that matter the most, a more compelling investment thesis would be high growth potential at a cheap price. 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 Appian, at least in the near future.

What this means for you:

Are you a shareholder? If you believe APPN should trade below its current price, selling high and buying it back up again when its price falls towards its real value 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 APPN for some time, now may not be the best time to enter into the stock. Its price has risen beyond its true value, on top of a negative 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 Appian as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. For example, Appian has 4 warning signs (and 1 which shouldn't be ignored) we think you should know about.

If you are no longer interested in Appian, you can use our free platform to see our list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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.

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