Is ifast shares good to buy now ?
8/19/2024 10:38am
**iFAST Corporation Ltd. (SGX:AIY) appears to be a strong candidate for investment**, considering the following points:
1. **High Price-to-Earnings (P/E) Ratio**: iFAST's P/E ratio of 41.4x is significantly higher than the market average in Singapore, where most companies have P/E ratios below 11x. However, this high P/E might be justified by the company's strong earnings growth and positive market sentiment.
2. **Superb Earnings Growth**: The company has shown impressive earnings growth, with a 420% increase in earnings per share (EPS) last year and a 66% aggregate increase from three years ago. The EPS growth rate over the past five years has been 30% per year, which is slower than the share price growth rate of 45% per year, indicating a favorable market sentiment.
3. **Strong Financial Performance**: iFAST's revenue for the second quarter of 2024 was S$93.7m, a 73% increase from the same period in 2023, and net income was S$16.0m, a 346% increase. The profit margin also increased to 17%, up from 6.6% in 2Q 2023, primarily driven by higher revenues.
4. **Positive Analyst Outlook**: Analysts estimate that iFAST will experience a growth rate of 28% per annum over the next three years, which is materially higher than the 9.3% growth forecast for the broader market.
5. **Technical Indicators**: The technical indicators such as MACD and RSI do not provide specific buy or sell signals, but they do not indicate any immediate concerns.
In conclusion, iFAST's strong earnings growth, high P/E ratio, and positive analyst outlook suggest that the company is performing well and has the potential for future growth. However, investors should consider their risk tolerance and investment horizon before making a decision, as high P/E ratios can sometimes indicate a higher risk of future earnings decline.