Value stocks have been taking off of late as investors have turned to safety over growth. One stock that's been a big benefactor of that is Royal Bank of Canada (TSX: RY)(NYSE: RY). At $141.75 as of the end of last week, the stock was trading at record highs. But can it continue climbing higher?
An increase in interest rates this year will certainly help the bank benefit from a greater spread in rates. But on the flip side, that could cool the housing market and with inflation still an issue, the economy may have an underwhelming year.
In fiscal 2021, Royal Bank's diluted per-share profit of $11.06 was 41% higher than the $7.82 profit it reported a year earlier. But with the stock trading at a price-to-earnings multiple of less than 13, this still isn't the highest premium that investors have been paying for the top bank stock. And so in the short term, it's certainly possible for Royal Bank's stock to continue rising. Last week, there was also a bullish crossover with the stock's 20-day moving average (MA) climbing above its 50-day MA, which may lead to more excitement around Royal Bank in the interim
The bank is in good shape and it's a solid buy for long-term investors. But the stock isn't cheap and it's coming off what may prove to be an inflated year due to the abnormal effect the pandemic has had on the economy. If you're not planning to hold on to the stock for the very long term (i.e. decades), I would suggest waiting for what I expect will be an inevitable dip in price as the economy starts to slow down.
