At US$180, Is It Time To Put Kadant Inc. (NYSE:KAI) On Your Watch List?
Kadant Inc. (NYSE:KAI), is not the largest company out there, but it led the NYSE gainers with a relatively large price hike in the past couple of weeks. As a mid-cap stock with high coverage by analysts, you could assume any recent changes in the company’s outlook is already priced into the stock. However, could the stock still be trading at a relatively cheap price? Let’s examine Kadant’s valuation and outlook in more detail to determine if there’s still a bargain opportunity.
See our latest analysis for Kadant
Is Kadant still cheap?
According to my valuation model, the stock is currently overvalued by about 37%, trading at US$180 compared to my intrinsic value of $131.41. This means that the opportunity to buy Kadant at a good price has disappeared! If you like the stock, you may want to keep an eye out for a potential price decline in the future. Since Kadant’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.
Can we expect growth from Kadant?
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. Kadant's earnings over the next few years are expected to increase by 40%, 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? It seems like the market has well and truly priced in KAI’s positive outlook, with shares trading above its fair value. At this current price, shareholders may be asking a different question – should I sell? If you believe KAI 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 tabs on KAI for some time, 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 KAI, which means it’s worth diving deeper into other factors in order to take advantage of the next price drop.
So while earnings quality is important, it's equally important to consider the risks facing Kadant at this point in time. At Simply Wall St, we found 1 warning sign for Kadant and we think they deserve your attention.
If you are no longer interested in Kadant, 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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