Destination XL Group, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:DXLG) Share Price Boosted 33% But Its Business Prospects Need A Lift Too
Destination XL Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:DXLG) shares have had a really impressive month, gaining 33% after a shaky period beforehand. Notwithstanding the latest gain, the annual share price return of 3.9% isn't as impressive.
Although its price has surged higher, Destination XL Group may still be sending very bullish signals at the moment with its price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 3.7x, since almost half of all companies in the United States have P/E ratios greater than 16x and even P/E's higher than 30x are not unusual. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the highly reduced P/E.
Destination XL Group certainly has been doing a good job lately as it's been growing earnings more than most other companies. It might be that many expect the strong earnings performance to degrade substantially, which has repressed the P/E. If you like the company, you'd be hoping this isn't the case so that you could potentially pick up some stock while it's out of favour.
View our latest analysis for Destination XL Group
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What Are Growth Metrics Telling Us About The Low P/E?
In order to justify its P/E ratio, Destination XL Group would need to produce anemic growth that's substantially trailing the market.
Retrospectively, the last year delivered an exceptional 309% gain to the company's bottom line. However, the latest three year period hasn't been as great in aggregate as it didn't manage to provide any growth at all. Therefore, it's fair to say that earnings growth has been inconsistent recently for the company.
Looking ahead now, EPS is anticipated to slump, contracting by 25% each year during the coming three years according to the two analysts following the company. With the market predicted to deliver 9.8% growth per annum, that's a disappointing outcome.
With this information, we are not surprised that Destination XL Group is trading at a P/E lower than the market. However, shrinking earnings are unlikely to lead to a stable P/E over the longer term. There's potential for the P/E to fall to even lower levels if the company doesn't improve its profitability.
The Final Word
Even after such a strong price move, Destination XL Group's P/E still trails the rest of the market significantly. Using the price-to-earnings ratio alone to determine if you should sell your stock isn't sensible, however it can be a practical guide to the company's future prospects.
As we suspected, our examination of Destination XL Group's analyst forecasts revealed that its outlook for shrinking earnings is contributing to its low P/E. At this stage investors feel the potential for an improvement in earnings isn't great enough to justify a higher P/E ratio. It's hard to see the share price rising strongly in the near future under these circumstances.
Plus, you should also learn about these 2 warning signs we've spotted with Destination XL Group.
It's important to make sure you look for a great company, not just the first idea you come across. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and a P/E ratio below 20x).
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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.
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