While Himax Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:HIMX) might not be the most widely known stock at the moment, it saw significant share price movement during recent months on the NASDAQGS, rising to highs of US$9.30 and falling to the lows of US$5.50. Some share price movements can give investors a better opportunity to enter into the stock, and potentially buy at a lower price. A question to answer is whether Himax Technologies' current trading price of US$5.50 reflective of the actual value of the small-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Let's take a look at Himax Technologies's outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change.

View our latest analysis for Himax Technologies

What's The Opportunity In Himax Technologies?

Good news, investors! Himax Technologies is still a bargain right now according to my price multiple model, which compares the company's price-to-earnings ratio to the industry average. I've used the price-to-earnings ratio in this instance because there's not enough visibility to forecast its cash flows. The stock's ratio of 2.14x is currently well-below the industry average of 16.7x, meaning that it is trading at a cheaper price relative to its peers. What's more interesting is that, Himax Technologies's share price is quite volatile, which gives us more chances to buy since the share price could sink lower (or rise higher) in the future. 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 Himax Technologies?

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 Himax Technologies, it is expected to deliver a highly negative earnings growth in the next few years, 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? Although HIMX is currently trading below the industry PE ratio, the negative profit outlook does bring on some uncertainty, which equates to higher risk. Consider whether you want to increase your portfolio exposure to HIMX, or whether diversifying into another stock may be a better move for your total risk and return.

Are you a potential investor? If you've been keeping an eye on HIMX for a while, but hesitant on making the leap, I recommend you research further into the stock. Given its current price multiple, now is a great time to make a decision. But keep in mind the risks that come with negative growth prospects in the future.

With this in mind, we wouldn't consider investing in a stock unless we had a thorough understanding of the risks. Our analysis shows 3 warning signs for Himax Technologies (2 are a bit unpleasant!) and we strongly recommend you look at them before investing.

If you are no longer interested in Himax Technologies, 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.