Today we're going to take a look at the well-established General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE:GD). The company's stock received a lot of attention from a substantial price movement on the NYSE over the last few months, increasing to US$244 at one point, and dropping to the lows of US$210. 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 General Dynamics' current trading price of US$221 reflective of the actual value of the large-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Let’s take a look at General Dynamics’s outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change.
Is General Dynamics Still Cheap?
Great news for investors – General Dynamics is still trading at a fairly cheap price according to my price multiple model, where I compare the company's price-to-earnings ratio to the industry average. In this instance, I’ve used the price-to-earnings (PE) ratio given that there is not enough information to reliably forecast the stock’s cash flows. I find that General Dynamics’s ratio of 18.25x is below its peer average of 24.41x, which indicates the stock is trading at a lower price compared to the Aerospace & Defense industry. General Dynamics’s share price also seems relatively stable compared to the rest of the market, as indicated by its low beta. If you believe the share price should eventually reach its industry peers, a low beta could suggest it is unlikely to rapidly do so anytime soon, and once it’s there, it may be hard to fall back down into an attractive buying range.
What does the future of General Dynamics look like?
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. General Dynamics' earnings over the next few years are expected to increase by 34%, 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? Since GD is currently below the industry PE ratio, it may be a great time to increase your holdings in the stock. With a positive outlook on the horizon, it seems like this growth has not yet been fully factored into the share price. However, there are also other factors such as capital structure to consider, which could explain the current price multiple.
Are you a potential investor? If you’ve been keeping an eye on GD for a while, now might be the time to make a leap. Its buoyant future profit outlook isn’t fully reflected in the current share price yet, which means it’s not too late to buy GD. But before you make any investment decisions, consider other factors such as the track record of its management team, in order to make a well-informed assessment.
So while earnings quality is important, it's equally important to consider the risks facing General Dynamics at this point in time. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for General Dynamics you should know about.
If you are no longer interested in General Dynamics, 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.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
