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Does Seven Generations Energy Ltd. (TSE:VII) Have A Good P/E Ratio?

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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 Seven Generations Energy Ltd.'s (TSE:VII) P/E ratio to inform your assessment of the investment opportunity. Seven Generations Energy has a P/E ratio of 7.86, based on the last twelve months. In other words, at today's prices, investors are paying CA$7.86 for every CA$1 in prior year profit.

Check out our latest analysis for Seven Generations Energy

How Do I Calculate A Price To Earnings Ratio?

The formula for P/E is:

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

Or for Seven Generations Energy:

P/E of 7.86 = CA$9.64 ÷ CA$1.23 (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2018.)

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 Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

P/E ratios primarily reflect market expectations around earnings growth rates. When earnings grow, the 'E' increases, over time. That means even if the current P/E is high, it will reduce over time if the share price stays flat. Then, a lower P/E should attract more buyers, pushing the share price up.

Seven Generations Energy's earnings per share fell by 23% in the last twelve months. But it has grown its earnings per share by 45% per year over the last five years.

How Does Seven Generations Energy's P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers?

We can get an indication of market expectations by looking at the P/E ratio. The image below shows that Seven Generations Energy has a lower P/E than the average (14.8) P/E for companies in the oil and gas industry.

TSX:VII Price Estimation Relative to Market, April 3rd 2019
TSX:VII Price Estimation Relative to Market, April 3rd 2019

Seven Generations Energy's P/E tells us that market participants think it will not fare as well as its peers in the same industry. While current expectations are low, the stock could be undervalued if the situation is better than the market assumes. If you consider the stock interesting, further research is recommended. For example, I often monitor director buying and selling.

Remember: P/E Ratios Don't Consider The Balance Sheet

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.

Such spending might be good or bad, overall, but the key point here is that you need to look at debt to understand the P/E ratio in context.

Seven Generations Energy's Balance Sheet

Seven Generations Energy's net debt is 60% of its market cap. If you want to compare its P/E ratio to other companies, you should absolutely keep in mind it has significant borrowings.

The Bottom Line On Seven Generations Energy's P/E Ratio

Seven Generations Energy's P/E is 7.9 which is below average (14.9) in the CA market. Given meaningful debt, and a lack of recent growth, the market looks to be extrapolating this recent performance; reflecting low expectations for the future.

When the market is wrong about a stock, it gives savvy investors an opportunity. If it is underestimating a company, investors can make money by buying and holding the shares until the market corrects itself. 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 Seven Generations Energy. 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).

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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