Is There Now An Opportunity In Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ:BIDU)?
Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ:BIDU) received a lot of attention from a substantial price movement on the NASDAQGS over the last few months, increasing to US$277 at one point, and dropping to the lows of US$179. 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 Baidu's current trading price of US$188 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 Baidu’s outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change.
See our latest analysis for Baidu
Is Baidu still cheap?
Good news, investors! Baidu 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. 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 8.49x is currently well-below the industry average of 32.06x, meaning that it is trading at a cheaper price relative to its peers. What’s more interesting is that, Baidu’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 Baidu generate?
Investors looking for growth in their portfolio may want to consider the prospects of a company before buying its shares. 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. However, with an extremely negative double-digit change in profit expected over the next couple of years, near-term growth is certainly not a driver of a buy decision. It seems like high uncertainty is on the cards for Baidu, at least in the near future.
What this means for you:
Are you a shareholder? Although BIDU 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 BIDU, 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 tabs on BIDU for some time, but hesitant on making the leap, I recommend you research further 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.
If you'd like to know more about Baidu as a business, it's important to be aware of any risks it's facing. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 4 warning signs for Baidu (of which 2 are significant!) you should know about.
If you are no longer interested in Baidu, 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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