At US$12.64, Is Luxfer Holdings PLC (NYSE:LXFR) Worth Looking At Closely?

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Luxfer Holdings PLC (NYSE:LXFR), might not be a large cap stock, but it saw significant share price movement during recent months on the NYSE, rising to highs of US$16.52 and falling to the lows of US$12.64. 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 Luxfer Holdings' current trading price of US$12.64 reflective of the actual value of the small-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Let’s take a look at Luxfer Holdings’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 Luxfer Holdings

Is Luxfer Holdings Still Cheap?

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. 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 16.93x is currently trading slightly below its industry peers’ ratio of 20.62x, which means if you buy Luxfer Holdings today, you’d be paying a reasonable price for it. And if you believe that Luxfer Holdings 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. Furthermore, Luxfer Holdings’s share price also seems relatively stable compared to the rest of the market, as indicated by its low beta. This may mean it is less likely for the stock to fall lower from natural market volatility, which suggests less opportunities to buy moving forward.

Can we expect growth from Luxfer Holdings?

earnings-and-revenue-growth
earnings-and-revenue-growth

Investors looking for growth in their portfolio may want to consider the prospects of a company before buying its shares. 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. Though in the case of Luxfer Holdings, it is expected to deliver a negative revenue growth of -4.0% next year, 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, LXFR 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 beneficial for your total portfolio? And is the opportunity cost of holding a negative-outlook stock too high? Before you make a decision on LXFR, take a look at whether its fundamentals have changed.

Are you a potential investor? If you’ve been keeping tabs on LXFR 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 LXFR should the price fluctuate below the industry PE ratio.

With this in mind, we wouldn't consider investing in a stock unless we had a thorough understanding of the risks. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 2 warning signs with Luxfer Holdings, and understanding these should be part of your investment process.

If you are no longer interested in Luxfer Holdings, 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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