The IAG (LSE: IAG) share price has rocketed 78.94% within the final two years, because it shrugs off the pandemic. But it nonetheless trades at a dirt-cheap valuation of simply 4.21 instances earnings, effectively under the FTSE 100 common of round 15 instances.

Does that make this a cut price purchase with extra gas within the tank, or one thing else?

British Airways-owner Worldwide Consolidated Airways Group, to make use of its full title, continues to energy forward. Its shares are up 17.4% within the final 12 months.

Which brings me to my first drawback. I favor to purchase prime FTSE 100 shares after they’re nonetheless struggling, within the hope of choosing them up on a budget and benefiting after they get well.

Low-cost FTSE 100 alternative

This isn’t a fool-proof technique, although. I’ve purchased each spirits large Diageo and sportswear retailer JD Sports activities Vogue this 12 months, shortly after each issued revenue warnings. Whereas JD Sports activities Vogue has kicked on, Diageo has been a little bit of a downer.

Possibly it could be safer to purchase a momentum inventory as an alternative, and IAG is actually that. However why so low-cost?

Buyers are typically cautious of airways, that are on the mercy of hazards no administration on earth can management, from volcanoes to warfare to grease costs. Because the US, Europe, and China wrestle economically, they’ve grown much more cautious.

Even Ryanair has had a bumpy experience these days, as flattening seat costs hit income. easyJet has simply escaped relegation from the FTSE 100 by the pores and skin of its enamel (having solely rejoined in February). Shares in Wizz Air have plunged 45.7% during the last 12 months. It is a unstable sector.

IAG ended 2023 with web debt of €9.25bn, which weighed on its valuation. Nonetheless, the board has now lower that to €6.4bn. A primary-half working revenue of €1.3bn, up €49m on final 12 months’s bumper determine, introduced additional cheer. 

Can IAG shares keep it up climbing?

In one other piece of fine information, the board is ready to revive the dividend. IAG shares are forecast to yield 3.29% this 12 months, and 4.54% in 2025. That’s a fairly nifty restoration. This chart exhibits how they flatlined after the pandemic.

Chart by TradingView

The 16 analysts providing 12-month price targets for IAG have a median goal of 227.64p. That’s up 20% from in the present day’s 190p. They provide fairly a broad vary of estimates, although, from a peak of 447p to a low of 169p. The market nonetheless doesn’t fairly consider on this inventory.

That low P/E continues to baffle me. It’s primarily based on final 12 months’s earnings, however isn’t exhibiting a lot signal of shifting. Earnings per share are forecast to rise a modest 2.67% over the subsequent 12 months. The P/E seems set to stay low at 4.83 instances earnings in 2024 and 4.62 instances in 2025.

At this time’s low P/E shouldn’t be an automated purchase sign. It displays excessive debt and exterior dangers. I can think about IAG shares hitting a spot of turbulence after their sturdy latest run. I’m critically contemplating including the inventory to my portfolio, nevertheless it nonetheless makes me nervous. Am I lacking one thing?