ScanSource, Inc. (NASDAQ:SCSC), is not the largest company out there, but it saw a significant share price rise of 22% in the past couple of months on the NASDAQGS. The recent jump in the share price has meant that the company is trading at close to its 52-week high. As a small cap stock, which tends to lack high analyst coverage, there is generally more of an opportunity for mispricing as there is less activity to push the stock closer to fair value. Is there still an opportunity here to buy? Today we will analyse the most recent data on ScanSource's outlook and valuation to see if the opportunity still exists.

What's The Opportunity In ScanSource?

According to our valuation model, ScanSource seems to be fairly priced at around 16.18% above our intrinsic value, which means if you buy ScanSource today, you'd be paying a relatively fair price for it. And if you believe the company's true value is $44.65, there's only an insignificant downside when the price falls to its real value. Is there another opportunity to buy low in the future? Since ScanSource's share price is quite volatile, we could potentially see it sink lower (or rise higher) in the future, giving us another chance to buy. 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 ScanSource?

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 ScanSource, it is expected to deliver a negative earnings growth of -1.3%, 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? SCSC seems fairly priced right now, 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 the stock, take a look at whether its fundamentals have changed.

Are you a potential investor? If you've been keeping an eye on SCSC for a while, now may not be the most advantageous time to buy, given it is trading around its fair value. The price seems to be trading at fair value, which 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 gel your views on SCSC should the price fluctuate below its true value.

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 1 warning sign with ScanSource, and understanding it should be part of your investment process.

If you are no longer interested in ScanSource, 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.