Ashland Inc. (NYSE:ASH), is not the largest company out there, but it received a lot of attention from a substantial price increase on the NYSE over the last few months. The company is inching closer to its yearly highs following the recent share price climb. 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. But what if there is still an opportunity to buy? Let's examine Ashland's valuation and outlook in more detail to determine if there's still a bargain opportunity.

What Is Ashland Worth?

The stock seems fairly valued at the moment according to our valuation model. It's trading around 8.77% above our intrinsic value, which means if you buy Ashland today, you'd be paying a relatively fair price for it. And if you believe that the stock is really worth $88.25, there's only an insignificant downside when the price falls to its real value. What's more, Ashland's share price may be more stable over time (relative to the market), as indicated by its low beta.

What does the future of Ashland look like?

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. With profit expected to grow by 42% over the next couple of years, the future seems bright for Ashland. 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? It seems like the market has already priced in ASH's positive outlook, 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 tabs on ASH, 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 diving deeper into 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. For example - Ashland has 2 warning signs we think you should be aware of.

If you are no longer interested in Ashland, 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.