Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE:AYI), might not be a large cap stock, but it saw a decent share price growth of 13% on the NYSE over the last few months. The recent jump in the share price has meant that the company is trading around its 52-week high. With many analysts covering the mid-cap stock, we may expect any price-sensitive announcements have already been factored into the stock's share price. However, could the stock still be trading at a relatively cheap price? Today we will analyse the most recent data on Acuity Brands's outlook and valuation to see if the opportunity still exists.
Is Acuity Brands Still Cheap?
The stock seems fairly valued at the moment according to our valuation model. It's trading around 15% below our intrinsic value, which means if you buy Acuity Brands today, you'd be paying a reasonable price for it. And if you believe that the stock is really worth $312.18, then there's not much of an upside to gain from mispricing. So, is there another chance to buy low in the future? Given that Acuity Brands'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 an opportunity to buy later on. This is based on its high beta, which is a good indicator for share price volatility.
What does the future of Acuity Brands 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. 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. Acuity Brands' earnings growth are expected to be in the teens in the upcoming years, indicating a solid future ahead. This should lead to robust cash flows, feeding into a higher share value.
What This Means For You
Are you a shareholder? AYI's optimistic 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 financial strength of the company. Have these factors changed since the last time you looked at the stock? Will you have enough conviction to buy should the price fluctuates below the true value?
Are you a potential investor? If you've been keeping an eye on AYI, now may not be the most advantageous time to buy, given it is trading around its fair value. However, the optimistic prospect is encouraging for the company, which 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.
So if you'd like to dive deeper into this stock, it's crucial to consider any risks it's facing. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Acuity Brands you should know about.
If you are no longer interested in Acuity Brands, 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.