Is GM’s Stock Undervalued At The Current Price?

[Updated 02/17/2022] General Motors Update

General Motors’ stock (NYSE: GM) at the current price of $50 seems underpriced compared to Trefis’ GM’s Valuation of $69. In recently concluded FY 2021 results, the company recorded revenue of $128 billion (includes GM China), up 4% y-o-y. Meanwhile EPS was recorded at $6.70 up from $4.33 in the previous year. In 2021, the auto industry was hit by the semi-conductor shortage, which converted to lower sales volume as GM sold 2,218K vehicles in 2021 compared to 2,547K vehicles in 2020.

Overall, we expect GM’s revenue to be $132.3 billion for 2022. Further, its net income is likely to be at $9.2 billion in 2022, taking the EPS figure to $6.28. This coupled with the P/E multiple of 11.1x will lead to GM’s valuation around $69, which is 39% above the current market price.

Below you’ll find our previous coverage of GM stock where you can track our view over time.

[Updated 10/14/2021] Does GM’s Stock Have An Upside At $58? 

General Motors’ stock (NYSE: GM) has risen by 39% from $42 to $58 since the end of 2020. In comparison, the broader S&P500 rose by 16% in the same period. Trefis analysis of GM’s valuation is $70, implying that the stock seems cheap at its current price. The auto industry is being hit by the semi-conductor shortage currently, which converts to lower sales volume for the companies. In the recently completed Q3 2021 the company delivered 446,997 vehicles in the U.S., down 218,195 units from a year ago as a result of semiconductor supply chain disruptions and historically low inventories. The company expects the fourth quarter to be smooth as they are restarting production at key crossover and car plants, and anticipate the semiconductor supply disruptions to improve.

Overall, we expect GM’s revenue to be $136.5 billion for 2021. Further, its net income is likely to be at $8.4 billion, taking the EPS figure to $5.88. For FY 2022 revenue is likely to be around $134.8 billion while its net income is expected to improve to $8.5 billion. This will increase the EPS figure to $5.99, which coupled with the P/E multiple of 11.7x will lead to GM’s valuation around $70, which is 20% above the current market price.

[Updated 03/23/2021] Does GM’s Stock Have More Upside?

At the current price of around $60 per share, we believe General Motors’ stock (NYSE: GM) has moderate growth potential in the near term. GM stock has risen by 78% since the end of 2018 compared to the S&P500 which has increased by 57% in the same period. In 2021 we expect revenue to recover marginally while earnings are expected to recover after a fall in 2020 with the impact of Covid-19. Earnings were also impacted by a one-time tax expense due to changes in valuation allowance, an increase in pre-tax income, and the absence of U.S. tax benefits from foreign activity. Over the recent years, the company has seen earnings fall while its P/E multiple has increased.

GM’s revenue fell from $147 billion in 2018 to $123 billion in 2020 (includes equity income from China). Net income margin fell from 5.4% in 2018 to 5.1% in 2020. On a per share basis, earnings went down from $5.61 to $4.36 offset by a 1.6% increase in shares outstanding.

During the same period, the P/E multiple jumped from 6x to around 9.5x. The P/E improved slightly in 2021 and is currently around 13.7x.

Where Is The Stock Headed?

The global spread of coronavirus led to lockdown in various cities across the globe, which affected industrial and economic activity. This, in turn, adversely affected consumption and consumer spending. The automobile sector was one of the worst affected and GM was no exception as it saw its revenues and earnings fall in the first half of 2020. There was some recovery seen in the second half of 2020. GM saw revenue fall by 11% to $123 billion (includes equity income from China) for 2020.

The actual recovery and its timing hinge on the broader containment of the coronavirus spread. Our dashboard Trends In U.S. Covid-19 Cases provides an overview of how the pandemic has been spreading in the U.S. and contrasts with trends in Brazil and Russia. Following the Fed stimulus — which set a floor on fear — the market has been willing to “look through” the current weak period and take a longer-term view. With investors focusing their attention on 2021 results, the valuations become important in finding value. Though market sentiment can be fickle, and evidence of an uptick in new cases could spook investors once again. In 2021 we expect GM revenues to rise to $124.1 billion. Further, its net income is likely to rise to $7.8 billion, increasing its EPS figure to $5.45, which coupled with the P/E multiple of 12.4x will lead to GM’s valuation around $68 per share, up by 13% from the current market price.

Check out how GM’s Peers fare on metrics that matter. You will find other useful comparisons for companies across industries at Peer Comparisons.

What if you’re looking for a more balanced portfolio instead? Here’s a high-quality portfolio that’s beaten the market consistently since the end of 2016.

[1] Month-to-date and year-to-date as of 2/16/2022
[2] Cumulative total returns since the end of 2016

Invest with Trefis Market Beating Portfolios
See all Trefis Price Estimates