
A Discounted Cash Flow, or DCF, model estimates what a company could be worth by projecting future cash flows and then discounting them back to today, using a required rate of return. It is essentially asking what all of Tetra Tech's future cash generation is worth in today's dollars.
For Tetra Tech, the model used is a 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity approach based on cash flow projections. The latest twelve month free cash flow is about $495.3 million. Analyst inputs and extrapolated estimates point to free cash flow of $350.0 million in the 2028 financial year, with a series of projections extending out to 2035 that are discounted back to present value.
Putting these cash flows together, the model arrives at an estimated intrinsic value of US$27.11 per share. Compared with the recent share price of US$30.85, the DCF output suggests the stock is about 13.8% overvalued on this set of assumptions.
Result: OVERVALUED
Our Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) analysis suggests Tetra Tech may be overvalued by 13.8%. Discover 62 high quality undervalued stocks or create your own screener to find better value opportunities.
For a profitable company like Tetra Tech, the P/E ratio is a useful quick check on how much you are paying for each dollar of current earnings. Investors usually accept a higher P/E when they expect stronger growth or see lower risk, and prefer a lower P/E when growth expectations are more modest or risks feel higher.
Tetra Tech currently trades on a P/E of 22.86x. This is close to the Commercial Services industry average P/E of 23.00x, and below the peer group average of 32.50x, which suggests the shares are not priced at the very high end of their sector.
Simply Wall St's Fair Ratio for Tetra Tech is 23.24x. This is a proprietary estimate of what the P/E could be given the company's earnings profile, industry, profit margins, market cap and risk characteristics. Because it adjusts for these company specific factors, it can be more informative than a straight comparison with broad industry or peer averages. With the current P/E of 22.86x sitting slightly below the Fair Ratio of 23.24x, the shares screen as mildly undervalued on this metric.
Result: UNDERVALUED
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Earlier it was mentioned that there is an even better way to understand valuation, so Narratives are introduced here as simple stories you build around Tetra Tech that link your view of its business, revenue, earnings and margins to a financial forecast and then to a fair value, all within the Simply Wall St Community page where millions of investors share their perspectives. You can, for example, side with an optimistic view that sees fair value closer to the bullish US$48.00 analyst target or a more cautious view near the US$38.00 bearish target, compare each fair value with the current price to decide whether the stock looks expensive or cheap to you, and let the Narrative update automatically as new earnings, guidance or news arrive, instead of relying on a single static P/E or DCF snapshot.
Do you think there's more to the story for Tetra Tech? Head over to our Community to see what others are saying!
This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. 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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