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What Does HarborOne Bancorp, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:HONE) P/E Ratio Tell You?

This article is written for those who want to get better at using price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). We'll show how you can use HarborOne Bancorp, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:HONE) P/E ratio to inform your assessment of the investment opportunity. Looking at earnings over the last twelve months, HarborOne Bancorp has a P/E ratio of 42.88. That means that at current prices, buyers pay $42.88 for every $1 in trailing yearly profits.

View our latest analysis for HarborOne Bancorp

How Do You Calculate A P/E Ratio?

The formula for P/E is:

Price to Earnings Ratio = Price per Share ÷ Earnings per Share (EPS)

Or for HarborOne Bancorp:

P/E of 42.88 = $10.62 ÷ $0.25 (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2019.)

Is A High Price-to-Earnings Ratio Good?

A higher P/E ratio means that buyers have to pay a higher price for each $1 the company has earned over the last year. 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 HarborOne Bancorp's P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers?

We can get an indication of market expectations by looking at the P/E ratio. You can see in the image below that the average P/E (12.7) for companies in the banks industry is a lot lower than HarborOne Bancorp's P/E.

NasdaqGS:HONE Price Estimation Relative to Market, December 9th 2019
NasdaqGS:HONE Price Estimation Relative to Market, December 9th 2019

Its relatively high P/E ratio indicates that HarborOne Bancorp shareholders think it will perform better than other companies in its industry classification. Clearly the market expects growth, but it isn't guaranteed. So investors should delve deeper. I like to check if company insiders have been buying or selling.

How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

Generally speaking the rate of earnings growth has a profound impact on a company's P/E multiple. If earnings are growing quickly, then the 'E' in the equation will increase faster than it would otherwise. And in that case, the P/E ratio itself will drop rather quickly. Then, a lower P/E should attract more buyers, pushing the share price up.

HarborOne Bancorp saw earnings per share improve by -9.1% last year. And its annual EPS growth rate over 3 years is 45%.

A Limitation: P/E Ratios Ignore Debt and Cash In The Bank

The 'Price' in P/E reflects the market capitalization of the company. In other words, it does not consider any debt or cash that the company may have on the balance sheet. 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).

Such expenditure might be good or bad, in the long term, but the point here is that the balance sheet is not reflected by this ratio.

HarborOne Bancorp's Balance Sheet

HarborOne Bancorp has net debt worth 10% of its market capitalization. It would probably deserve a higher P/E ratio if it was net cash, since it would have more options for growth.

The Verdict On HarborOne Bancorp's P/E Ratio

HarborOne Bancorp's P/E is 42.9 which is above average (18.5) in its market. With debt at prudent levels and improving earnings, it's fair to say the market expects steady progress in the future.

When the market is wrong about a stock, it gives savvy investors an opportunity. People often underestimate remarkable growth -- so investors can make money when fast growth is not fully appreciated. 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.

You might be able to find a better buy than HarborOne Bancorp. If you want a selection of possible winners, check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a P/E below 20 (but have proven they can grow earnings).

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.

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