PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG) had a relatively subdued couple of weeks in terms of changes in share price, which continued to float around the range of US$16.03 to US$17.57. However, is this the true valuation level of the large-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Let's take a look at PG&E's outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change.

Is PG&E Still Cheap?

According to our 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. 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 PG&E's ratio of 15.61x is trading slightly below its industry peers' ratio of 17.15x, which means if you buy PG&E today, you'd be paying a reasonable price for it. And if you believe that PG&E 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. Is there another opportunity to buy low in the future? Since PG&E'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 PG&E?

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. 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. PG&E's earnings over the next few years are expected to increase by 38%, 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? PCG's optimistic future growth appears to have been factored into the current share price, with shares trading around industry price multiples. 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 PCG? Will you have enough confidence to invest in the company should the price drop below the industry PE ratio?

Are you a potential investor? If you've been keeping tabs on PCG, now may not be the most optimal time to buy, given it is trading around industry price multiples. However, the positive outlook is encouraging for PCG, 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.

Keep in mind, when it comes to analysing a stock it's worth noting the risks involved. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for PG&E (of which 1 is a bit unpleasant!) you should know about.

If you are no longer interested in PG&E, 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.