Is Now An Opportune Moment To Examine Louisiana-Pacific Corporation (NYSE:LPX)?

Louisiana-Pacific Corporation (NYSE:LPX), might not be a large cap stock, but it led the NYSE gainers with a relatively large price hike in the past couple of weeks. 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. However, could the stock still be trading at a relatively cheap price? Today I will analyse the most recent data on Louisiana-Pacific’s outlook and valuation to see if the opportunity still exists.

Check out our latest analysis for Louisiana-Pacific

Is Louisiana-Pacific still cheap?

Good news, investors! Louisiana-Pacific 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. 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 Louisiana-Pacific’s ratio of 4.94x is below its peer average of 17.97x, which indicates the stock is trading at a lower price compared to the Forestry industry. What’s more interesting is that, Louisiana-Pacific’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.

What kind of growth will Louisiana-Pacific generate?

earnings-and-revenue-growth

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. However, with an extremely negative double-digit change in profit expected next year, near-term growth is certainly not a driver of a buy decision. It seems like high uncertainty is on the cards for Louisiana-Pacific, at least in the near future.

What this means for you:

Are you a shareholder? Although LPX is currently trading below the industry PE ratio, the adverse prospect of negative growth brings about some degree of risk. Consider whether you want to increase your portfolio exposure to LPX, 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 LPX for a while, but hesitant on making the leap, I recommend you dig deeper 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.

So while earnings quality is important, it's equally important to consider the risks facing Louisiana-Pacific at this point in time. For example - Louisiana-Pacific has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of.

If you are no longer interested in Louisiana-Pacific, you can use our free platform to see our list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential.

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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