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AeroVironment, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:AVAV) Popularity With Investors Under Threat

When close to half the companies in the United States have price-to-earnings ratios (or "P/E's") below 18x, you may consider AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVAV) as a stock to avoid entirely with its 41.4x P/E ratio. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the highly elevated P/E.

The recently shrinking earnings for AeroVironment have been in line with the market. One possibility is that the P/E is high because investors think the company can turn things around and break free from the broader downward trend in earnings. If not, then existing shareholders may be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.

Check out our latest analysis for AeroVironment

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Keen to find out how analysts think AeroVironment's future stacks up against the industry? In that case, our free report is a great place to start.

What Are Growth Metrics Telling Us About The High P/E?

AeroVironment's P/E ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver very strong growth, and importantly, perform much better than the market.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 1.9% decrease to the company's bottom line. Even so, admirably EPS has lifted 126% in aggregate from three years ago, notwithstanding the last 12 months. Although it's been a bumpy ride, it's still fair to say the earnings growth recently has been more than adequate for the company.

Turning to the outlook, the next year should generate growth of 1.4% as estimated by the five analysts watching the company. Meanwhile, the rest of the market is forecast to expand by 5.2%, which is noticeably more attractive.

In light of this, it's alarming that AeroVironment's P/E sits above the majority of other companies. Apparently many investors in the company are way more bullish than analysts indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock at any price. Only the boldest would assume these prices are sustainable as this level of earnings growth is likely to weigh heavily on the share price eventually.

What We Can Learn From AeroVironment's P/E?

While the price-to-earnings ratio shouldn't be the defining factor in whether you buy a stock or not, it's quite a capable barometer of earnings expectations.

Our examination of AeroVironment's analyst forecasts revealed that its inferior earnings outlook isn't impacting its high P/E anywhere near as much as we would have predicted. When we see a weak earnings outlook with slower than market growth, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, sending the high P/E lower. Unless these conditions improve markedly, it's very challenging to accept these prices as being reasonable.

Many other vital risk factors can be found on the company's balance sheet. You can assess many of the main risks through our free balance sheet analysis for AeroVironment with six simple checks.

Of course, you might also be able to find a better stock than AeroVironment. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that sit on P/E's below 20x and have grown earnings strongly.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.

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