Despite Its High P/E Ratio, Is American Superconductor Corporation (NASDAQ:AMSC) Still Undervalued?
The goal of this article is to teach you how to use price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). To keep it practical, we'll show how American Superconductor Corporation's (NASDAQ:AMSC) P/E ratio could help you assess the value on offer. American Superconductor has a price to earnings ratio of 35.27, based on the last twelve months. In other words, at today's prices, investors are paying $35.27 for every $1 in prior year profit.
See our latest analysis for American Superconductor
How Do You Calculate A P/E Ratio?
The formula for P/E is:
Price to Earnings Ratio = Share Price ÷ Earnings per Share (EPS)
Or for American Superconductor:
P/E of 35.27 = $7.87 ÷ $0.22 (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2019.)
Is A High Price-to-Earnings Ratio Good?
A higher P/E ratio implies that investors pay a higher price for the earning power of the business. That isn't necessarily good or bad, but a high P/E implies relatively high expectations of what a company can achieve in the future.
How Does American Superconductor's P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers?
The P/E ratio essentially measures market expectations of a company. As you can see below, American Superconductor has a higher P/E than the average company (18.2) in the electrical industry.
American Superconductor's P/E tells us that market participants think the company will perform better than its industry peers, going forward. Clearly the market expects growth, but it isn't guaranteed. So further research is always essential. I often monitor director buying and selling.
How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios
Probably the most important factor in determining what P/E a company trades on is the earnings growth. Earnings growth means that in the future the 'E' will be higher. That means even if the current P/E is high, it will reduce over time if the share price stays flat. So while a stock may look expensive based on past earnings, it could be cheap based on future earnings.
American Superconductor saw earnings per share decrease by 41% last year.
Don't Forget: The P/E Does Not Account For Debt or Bank Deposits
Don't forget that the P/E ratio considers market capitalization. That means it doesn't take debt or cash into account. Hypothetically, a company could reduce its future P/E ratio by spending its cash (or taking on debt) to achieve higher earnings.
While growth expenditure doesn't always pay off, the point is that it is a good option to have; but one that the P/E ratio ignores.
Is Debt Impacting American Superconductor's P/E?
With net cash of US$53m, American Superconductor has a very strong balance sheet, which may be important for its business. Having said that, at 31% of its market capitalization the cash hoard would contribute towards a higher P/E ratio.
The Verdict On American Superconductor's P/E Ratio
American Superconductor's P/E is 35.3 which is above average (18.5) in its market. Falling earnings per share is probably keeping traditional value investors away, but the healthy balance sheet means the company retains potential for future growth. If fails to eventuate, the current high P/E could prove to be temporary, as the share price falls.
Investors have an opportunity when market expectations about a stock are wrong. As value investor Benjamin Graham famously said, 'In the short run, the market is a voting machine but in the long run, it is a weighing machine. So this free visualization of the analyst consensus on future earnings could help you make the right decision about whether to buy, sell, or hold.
Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with modest (or no) debt, trading on a P/E below 20.
If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. 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. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.
We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
