Sensient Technologies (SXT) has been quietly grinding higher this year, and with the stock now around 93 dollars after a strong year to date run, investors are revisiting its valuation.

That move to about 92.66 dollars caps a strong run, with the share price delivering a 32.5 percent year to date return while the three year total shareholder return of 33.69 percent suggests momentum has been rebuilding after a softer patch.

If Sensient’s climb has you thinking about what else might be setting up for a rerating, now is a good time to explore fast growing stocks with high insider ownership.

Yet with analysts seeing upside to 122 dollars and earnings still growing solidly, the key question is whether Sensient remains undervalued at these levels or whether the market is already pricing in its future growth.

Most Popular Narrative Narrative: 23.8% Undervalued

Compared with the last close at 92.66 dollars, the most widely followed narrative points to a materially higher fair value anchored in future earnings power.

The imminent large-scale regulatory-driven transition from synthetic to natural colors in the U.S. (with a hard retail deadline of January 2028) presents a significant revenue inflection point for Sensient, as branded CPG customers accelerate conversions, which positions the company for robust top-line growth beginning in 2027.

Sensient's 15+ years of proactive investment in natural colors R&D, global manufacturing capacity, and a vertically integrated botanical supply chain gives it a defensible advantage in meeting escalating consumer and CPG demand for clean-label, natural ingredients. This is expected to support sustainable growth and premium pricing, which should enhance both revenue and gross margins.

Curious how steady mid single digit growth, rising margins and a premium future earnings multiple can still justify upside from here, despite today’s rich valuation signals? Click through to see the full playbook behind that conclusion.

Result: Fair Value of $121.67 (UNDERVALUED)

However, sustained cost inflation in agricultural inputs or supply bottlenecks in botanical raw materials could squeeze margins and blunt the anticipated uplift from regulation-driven growth.

Another Take: Market Multiples Flash a Caution Light

Analysts may see 23.8 percent upside, but the market’s own yardstick paints a tighter picture. Sensient trades on a 28.3 times price to earnings ratio versus a 23.4 times industry average and a 20.7 times fair ratio, suggesting limited margin for disappointment if growth stumbles.

Build Your Own Sensient Technologies Narrative

If you would rather challenge these assumptions and dig into the numbers yourself, you can shape a personalized story in just a few minutes: Do it your way.

A great starting point for your Sensient Technologies research is our analysis highlighting 3 key rewards and 3 important warning signs that could impact your investment decision.

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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.