While Werner Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ:WERN) might not have the largest market cap around , it saw a decent share price growth of 14% on the NASDAQGS over the last few months. Shareholders may appreciate the recent price jump, but the company still has a way to go before reaching its yearly highs again. 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. But what if there is still an opportunity to buy? Today we will analyse the most recent data on Werner Enterprises's outlook and valuation to see if the opportunity still exists.
View our latest analysis for Werner Enterprises
What's The Opportunity In Werner Enterprises?
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 Werner Enterprises's ratio of 17.49x is trading slightly below its industry peers' ratio of 21.62x, which means if you buy Werner Enterprises today, you'd be paying a decent price for it. And if you believe that Werner Enterprises 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. Furthermore, Werner Enterprises's share price also seems relatively stable compared to the rest of the market, as indicated by its low beta. This may mean it is less likely for the stock to fall lower from natural market volatility, which suggests less opportunities to buy moving forward.
What kind of growth will Werner Enterprises generate?
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. Werner Enterprises' earnings over the next few years are expected to increase by 25%, 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? It seems like the market has already priced in WERN's positive outlook, 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 WERN? 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 an eye on WERN, 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 WERN, 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. For example, we've discovered 3 warning signs that you should run your eye over to get a better picture of Werner Enterprises.
If you are no longer interested in Werner Enterprises, 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.