Is It Time To Consider Buying WH Smith PLC (LON:SMWH)?
WH Smith PLC (LON:SMWH), might not be a large cap stock, but it saw significant share price movement during recent months on the LSE, rising to highs of UK£13.75 and falling to the lows of UK£12.02. 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 WH Smith's current trading price of UK£12.36 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 WH Smith’s outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change.
View our latest analysis for WH Smith
What Is WH Smith Worth?
WH Smith appears to be overvalued by 34% at the moment, based on our discounted cash flow valuation. The stock is currently priced at UK£12.36 on the market compared to our intrinsic value of £9.26. This means that the buying opportunity has probably disappeared for now. But, is there another opportunity to buy low in the future? Since WH Smith’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 kind of growth will WH Smith 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. WH Smith's earnings over the next few years are expected to increase by 82%, indicating a highly optimistic future ahead. This should lead to more robust cash flows, feeding into a higher share value.
What This Means For You
Are you a shareholder? SMWH’s optimistic future growth appears to have been factored into the current share price, with shares trading above its fair value. However, this brings up another question – is now the right time to sell? If you believe SMWH 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. 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 an eye on SMWH for a while, now may not be the best time to enter into the stock. The price has surpassed its true value, which means there’s no upside from mispricing. However, the positive outlook is encouraging for SMWH, which means it’s worth diving deeper into other factors in order to take advantage of the next price drop.
Keep in mind, when it comes to analysing a stock it's worth noting the risks involved. For example - WH Smith has 2 warning signs we think you should be aware of.
If you are no longer interested in WH Smith, 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.
