Should You Think About Buying UniFirst Corporation (NYSE:UNF) Now?
UniFirst Corporation (NYSE:UNF), is not the largest company out there, but it saw significant share price movement during recent months on the NYSE, rising to highs of US$242 and falling to the lows of US$211. 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 UniFirst's current trading price of US$220 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 UniFirst’s outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change.
Check out our latest analysis for UniFirst
Is UniFirst still cheap?
According to my valuation model, UniFirst seems to be fairly priced at around 3.94% above my intrinsic value, which means if you buy UniFirst today, you’d be paying a relatively reasonable price for it. And if you believe that the stock is really worth $212.13, there’s only an insignificant downside when the price falls to its real value. Although, there may be an opportunity to buy in the future. This is because UniFirst’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 UniFirst 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. 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 a relatively muted profit growth of 8.4% expected over the next couple of years, growth doesn’t seem like a key driver for a buy decision for UniFirst, at least in the short term.
What this means for you:
Are you a shareholder? UNF’s future growth appears to have been factored into the current share price, with shares trading around its fair value. However, there are also other important factors which we haven’t considered today, such as the track record of its management team. Have these factors changed since the last time you looked at the stock? Will you have enough confidence to invest in the company should the price drop below its fair value?
Are you a potential investor? If you’ve been keeping tabs on UNF, now may not be the most advantageous time to buy, given it is trading around its fair value. However, the positive outlook 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.
Since timing is quite important when it comes to individual stock picking, it's worth taking a look at what those latest analysts forecasts are. Luckily, you can check out what analysts are forecasting by clicking here.
If you are no longer interested in UniFirst, 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. 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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