Gen Digital Inc. (NASDAQ:GEN) led the NASDAQGS gainers with a relatively large price hike in the past couple of weeks. The recent share price gains has brought the company back closer to its yearly peak. As a large-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, what if the stock is still a bargain? Today we will analyse the most recent data on Gen Digital's outlook and valuation to see if the opportunity still exists.

What's The Opportunity In Gen Digital?

Good news, investors! Gen Digital is still a bargain right now according to our price multiple model, which compares the company's price-to-earnings ratio to the industry average. In this instance, we've used the price-to-earnings (PE) ratio given that there is not enough information to reliably forecast the stock's cash flows. we find that Gen Digital's ratio of 24.48x is below its peer average of 40.68x, which indicates the stock is trading at a lower price compared to the Software industry. However, given that Gen Digital's share is fairly volatile (i.e. its price movements are magnified relative to the rest of the market) this could mean the price can sink lower, giving us another chance to buy in the future. This is based on its high beta, which is a good indicator for share price volatility.

What does the future of Gen Digital look like?

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. With profit expected to grow by 91% over the next couple of years, the future seems bright for Gen Digital. It looks like higher cash flow is on the cards for the stock, which should feed into a higher share valuation.

What This Means For You

Are you a shareholder? Since GEN is currently below the industry PE ratio, it may be a great time to increase your holdings in the stock. With a positive outlook on the horizon, it seems like this growth has not yet been fully factored into the share price. However, there are also other factors such as capital structure to consider, which could explain the current price multiple.

Are you a potential investor? If you've been keeping an eye on GEN for a while, now might be the time to make a leap. Its prosperous future profit outlook isn't fully reflected in the current share price yet, which means it's not too late to buy GEN. But before you make any investment decisions, consider other factors such as the strength of its balance sheet, in order to make a well-informed investment decision.

Keep in mind, when it comes to analysing a stock it's worth noting the risks involved. For example, we've found that Gen Digital has 5 warning signs (1 is significant!) that deserve your attention before going any further with your analysis.

If you are no longer interested in Gen Digital, 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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com