What Does Alm. Brand A/S's (CPH:ALMB) P/E Ratio Tell You?
Today, we'll introduce the concept of the P/E ratio for those who are learning about investing. To keep it practical, we'll show how Alm. Brand A/S's (CPH:ALMB) P/E ratio could help you assess the value on offer. Alm. Brand has a P/E ratio of 17.86, based on the last twelve months. That means that at current prices, buyers pay DKK17.86 for every DKK1 in trailing yearly profits.
Check out our latest analysis for Alm. Brand
How Do I Calculate A Price To Earnings Ratio?
The formula for P/E is:
Price to Earnings Ratio = Price per Share ÷ Earnings per Share (EPS)
Or for Alm. Brand:
P/E of 17.86 = DKK51.800 ÷ DKK2.901 (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2019.)
(Note: the above calculation results may not be precise due to rounding.)
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 Alm. Brand's P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers?
The P/E ratio essentially measures market expectations of a company. You can see in the image below that the average P/E (9.3) for companies in the insurance industry is lower than Alm. Brand's P/E.
Its relatively high P/E ratio indicates that Alm. Brand shareholders think it will perform better than other companies in its industry classification. The market is optimistic about the future, but that doesn't guarantee future growth. So investors should delve deeper. I like to check if company insiders have been buying or selling.
How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios
When earnings fall, the 'E' decreases, over time. That means even if the current P/E is low, it will increase over time if the share price stays flat. So while a stock may look cheap based on past earnings, it could be expensive based on future earnings.
Alm. Brand's earnings per share fell by 19% in the last twelve months. But it has grown its earnings per share by 9.1% per year over the last five years. And EPS is down 16% a year, over the last 3 years. This might lead to low expectations.
Don't Forget: The P/E Does Not Account For Debt or Bank Deposits
The 'Price' in P/E reflects the market capitalization of the company. So it won't reflect the advantage of cash, or disadvantage of debt. Theoretically, a business can improve its earnings (and produce a lower P/E in the future) by investing in growth. That means taking on debt (or spending its cash).
Spending on growth might be good or bad a few years later, but the point is that the P/E ratio does not account for the option (or lack thereof).
Alm. Brand's Balance Sheet
Alm. Brand has net debt worth just 4.7% of its market capitalization. It would probably trade on a higher P/E ratio if it had a lot of cash, but I doubt it is having a big impact.
The Verdict On Alm. Brand's P/E Ratio
Alm. Brand trades on a P/E ratio of 17.9, which is above its market average of 13.9. With a bit of debt, but a lack of recent growth, it's safe to say the market is expecting improved profit performance from the company, in the next few years.
Investors should be looking to buy stocks that the market is wrong about. 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 visual report on analyst forecasts could hold the key to an excellent investment decision.
But note: Alm. Brand may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and a P/E ratio 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.
