Is Now An Opportune Moment To Examine Innospec Inc. (NASDAQ:IOSP)?
Innospec Inc. (NASDAQ:IOSP), is not the largest company out there, but it saw a decent share price growth in the teens level on the NASDAQGS over the last few months. 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? Let’s take a look at Innospec’s outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if the opportunity still exists.
View our latest analysis for Innospec
What is Innospec worth?
Good news, investors! Innospec is still a bargain right now according to my price multiple model, which compares the company's price-to-earnings ratio 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 16.41x is currently well-below the industry average of 22.44x, meaning that it is trading at a cheaper price relative to its peers. However, given that Innospec’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 another chance to buy in the future. This is based on its high beta, which is a good indicator for share price volatility.
Can we expect growth from Innospec?
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 an extremely negative double-digit change in profit expected next year, near-term growth is certainly not a driver of a buy decision. It seems like high uncertainty is on the cards for Innospec, at least in the near future.
What this means for you:
Are you a shareholder? Although IOSP is currently trading below the industry PE ratio, the negative profit outlook does bring on some uncertainty, which equates to higher risk. I recommend you think about whether you want to increase your portfolio exposure to IOSP, or whether diversifying into another stock may be a better move for your total risk and return.
Are you a potential investor? If you’ve been keeping tabs on IOSP for some time, but hesitant on making the leap, I recommend you research further into the stock. Given its current price multiple, now is a great time to make a decision. But keep in mind the risks that come with negative growth prospects in the future.
So while earnings quality is important, it's equally important to consider the risks facing Innospec at this point in time. You'd be interested to know, that we found 1 warning sign for Innospec and you'll want to know about it.
If you are no longer interested in Innospec, 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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