Is There Now An Opportunity In Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAT)?
Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAT), is not the largest company out there, but it saw significant share price movement during recent months on the NASDAQGS, rising to highs of US$25.12 and falling to the lows of US$21.46. 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 Mattel's current trading price of US$22.13 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 Mattel’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 Mattel
What's The Opportunity In Mattel?
According to my 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, I’ve used the price-to-earnings (PE) ratio given that there is not enough information to reliably forecast the stock’s cash flows. I find that Mattel’s ratio of 7.05x is trading slightly below its industry peers’ ratio of 8.62x, which means if you buy Mattel today, you’d be paying a reasonable price for it. And if you believe that Mattel 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. Although, there may be an opportunity to buy in the future. This is because Mattel’s beta (a measure of share price volatility) is high, meaning its price movements will be exaggerated relative to the rest of the market. If the market is bearish, the company’s shares will likely fall by more than the rest of the market, providing a prime buying opportunity.
What does the future of Mattel look like?
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. Though in the case of Mattel, it is expected to deliver a highly negative earnings growth in the next few years, which doesn’t help build up its investment thesis. It appears that risk of future uncertainty is high, at least in the near term.
What This Means For You
Are you a shareholder? Currently, MAT appears to be trading around industry price multiples, but given the uncertainty from negative returns in the future, this could be the right time to reduce the risk in your portfolio. Is your current exposure to the stock optimal for your total portfolio? And is the opportunity cost of holding a negative-outlook stock too high? Before you make a decision on MAT, take a look at whether its fundamentals have changed.
Are you a potential investor? If you’ve been keeping an eye on MAT for a while, now may not be the most optimal time to buy, given it is trading around industry price multiples. This means there’s less benefit from mispricing. In addition to this, the negative growth outlook increases the risk of holding the stock. However, there are also other important factors we haven’t considered today, which can help crystallize your views on MAT should the price fluctuate below the industry PE ratio.
If you want to dive deeper into Mattel, you'd also look into what risks it is currently facing. You'd be interested to know, that we found 2 warning signs for Mattel and you'll want to know about these.
If you are no longer interested in Mattel, 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.
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