Let’s talk about the popular Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL). The company’s shares saw a significant share price rise of over 20% in the past couple of months on the NASDAQGS. With many analysts covering the large-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? Let’s examine Apple’s valuation and outlook in more detail to determine if there’s still a bargain opportunity.
See our latest analysis for Apple
What’s The Opportunity In Apple?
The share price seems sensible at the moment according to my price multiple model, where I compare 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 32.21x is currently trading in-line with its industry peers’ ratio, which means if you buy Apple today, you’d be paying a relatively reasonable price for it. Although, there may be an opportunity to buy in the future. This is because Apple’s beta (a measure of share price volatility) is high, meaning its price movements will be exaggerated relative to the rest of the market. If the market is bearish, the company’s shares will likely fall by more than the rest of the market, providing a prime buying opportunity.
Can we expect growth from Apple?
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. 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. Apple’s earnings over the next few years are expected to increase by 20%, 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? AAPL’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 AAPL? Will you have enough conviction to buy should the price fluctuate below the industry PE ratio?
Are you a potential investor? If you’ve been keeping an eye on AAPL, now may not be the most advantageous time to buy, given it is trading around industry price multiples. However, the positive outlook is encouraging for AAPL, 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.
So if you’d like to dive deeper into this stock, it’s crucial to consider any risks it’s facing. You’d be interested to know, that we found 1 warning sign for Apple and you’ll want to know about it.
If you are no longer interested in Apple, you can use our free platform to see our list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
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.
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