Should You Buy Air China Limited (HKG:753) At $9.17?

Let’s talk about the popular Air China Limited (SEHK:753). The company’s shares saw a significant share price rise of over 20% in the past couple of months on the SEHK. 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. However, what if the stock is still a bargain? Let’s take a look at Air China’s outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if the opportunity still exists. See our latest analysis for Air China

What is Air China worth?

According to my valuation model, Air China seems to be fairly priced at around 18% below my intrinsic value, which means if you buy Air China today, you’d be paying a fair price for it. And if you believe that the stock is really worth HK$11.17, then there’s not much of an upside to gain from mispricing. So, is there another chance to buy low in the future? Given that Air China’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.

What does the future of Air China look like?

SEHK:753 Future Profit Dec 28th 17
SEHK:753 Future Profit Dec 28th 17

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. With profit expected to grow by 36.94% over the next couple of years, the future seems bright for Air China. It looks like higher cash flows is on the cards for the stock, which should feed into a higher share valuation.

What this means for you:

Are you a shareholder? It seems like the market has already priced in Air China’s positive outlook, with shares trading around its fair value. 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 the stock? Will you have enough conviction to buy should the price fluctuates below the true value?

Are you a potential investor? If you’ve been keeping tabs on Air China, now may not be the most optimal time to buy, given it is trading around its fair value. However, the positive outlook is encouraging for the company, 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.