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What Does Mettler-Toledo International Inc.'s (NYSE:MTD) P/E Ratio Tell You?

This article is for investors who would like to improve their understanding of price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). We'll apply a basic P/E ratio analysis to Mettler-Toledo International Inc.'s (NYSE:MTD), to help you decide if the stock is worth further research. Mettler-Toledo International has a price to earnings ratio of 36.3, based on the last twelve months. In other words, at today's prices, investors are paying $36.3 for every $1 in prior year profit.

View our latest analysis for Mettler-Toledo International

How Do I Calculate Mettler-Toledo International's Price To Earnings Ratio?

The formula for P/E is:

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

Or for Mettler-Toledo International:

P/E of 36.3 = $737.97 ÷ $20.33 (Based on the year to December 2018.)

Is A High P/E 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 Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

P/E ratios primarily reflect market expectations around earnings growth rates. If earnings are growing quickly, then the 'E' in the equation will increase faster than it would otherwise. That means even if the current P/E is high, it will reduce over time if the share price stays flat. A lower P/E should indicate the stock is cheap relative to others -- and that may attract buyers.

Mettler-Toledo International increased earnings per share by a whopping 39% last year. And it has bolstered its earnings per share by 15% per year over the last five years. So we'd generally expect it to have a relatively high P/E ratio.

How Does Mettler-Toledo International'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 (36.3) for companies in the life sciences industry is roughly the same as Mettler-Toledo International's P/E.

NYSE:MTD Price Estimation Relative to Market, April 11th 2019
NYSE:MTD Price Estimation Relative to Market, April 11th 2019

That indicates that the market expects Mettler-Toledo International will perform roughly in line with other companies in its industry. So if Mettler-Toledo International actually outperforms its peers going forward, that should be a positive for the share price. Checking factors such as the tenure of the board and management could help you form your own view on if that will happen.

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. In other words, it does not consider any debt or cash that the company may have on the balance sheet. 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.

Mettler-Toledo International's Balance Sheet

Mettler-Toledo International has net debt worth just 4.7% of its market capitalization. The market might award it a higher P/E ratio if it had net cash, but its unlikely this low level of net borrowing is having a big impact on the P/E multiple.

The Verdict On Mettler-Toledo International's P/E Ratio

Mettler-Toledo International's P/E is 36.3 which is above average (18.1) in the US market. The company is not overly constrained by its modest debt levels, and its recent EPS growth is nothing short of stand-out. So to be frank we are not surprised it has a high P/E ratio.

Investors have an opportunity when market expectations about a stock are wrong. People often underestimate remarkable growth -- so investors can make money when fast growth is not fully appreciated. So this free visual report on analyst forecasts could hold the key to an excellent investment decision.

Of course you might be able to find a better stock than Mettler-Toledo International. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have grown earnings strongly.

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.

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. Thank you for reading.

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