First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR), might not be a large cap stock, but it saw significant share price movement during recent months on the NASDAQGS, rising to highs of US$108 and falling to the lows of US$81.02. 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 First Solar's current trading price of US$81.02 reflective of the actual value of the mid-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Let’s take a look at First Solar’s outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change.

Check out our latest analysis for First Solar

Is First Solar still cheap?

According to my 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. 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 38.37x is currently trading in-line with its industry peers’ ratio, which means if you buy First Solar today, you’d be paying a relatively sensible price for it. So, is there another chance to buy low in the future? Given that First Solar’s share is fairly volatile (i.e. its price movements are magnified relative to the rest of the market) this could mean the price can sink lower, giving us an opportunity to buy later on. This is based on its high beta, which is a good indicator for share price volatility.

Can we expect growth from First Solar?

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. First Solar's earnings over the next few years are expected to increase by 56%, 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 FSLR’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 FSLR? 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 tabs on FSLR, now may not be the most optimal time to buy, given it is trading around industry price multiples. However, the optimistic forecast is encouraging for FSLR, 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.

So if you'd like to dive deeper into this stock, it's crucial to consider any risks it's facing. Be aware that First Solar is showing 3 warning signs in our investment analysis and 1 of those is a bit unpleasant...

If you are no longer interested in First Solar, 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. 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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