Does Unity Bancorp, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:UNTY) P/E Ratio Signal A Buying Opportunity?
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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 Unity Bancorp, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:UNTY) P/E ratio to inform your assessment of the investment opportunity. Based on the last twelve months, Unity Bancorp's P/E ratio is 9.98. That means that at current prices, buyers pay $9.98 for every $1 in trailing yearly profits.
Check out our latest analysis for Unity 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 Unity Bancorp:
P/E of 9.98 = $20.81 ÷ $2.09 (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2019.)
Is A High P/E Ratio Good?
The higher the P/E ratio, the higher the price tag of a business, relative to its trailing earnings. That isn't a good or a bad thing on its own, but a high P/E means that buyers have a higher opinion of the business's prospects, relative to stocks with a lower P/E.
How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios
Earnings growth rates have a big influence on P/E ratios. That's because companies that grow earnings per share quickly will rapidly increase the 'E' in the equation. Therefore, even if you pay a high multiple of earnings now, that multiple will become lower in the future. A lower P/E should indicate the stock is cheap relative to others -- and that may attract buyers.
It's nice to see that Unity Bancorp grew EPS by a stonking 48% in the last year. And it has bolstered its earnings per share by 30% per year over the last five years. I'd therefore be a little surprised if its P/E ratio was not relatively high.
How Does Unity Bancorp's P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers?
The P/E ratio essentially measures market expectations of a company. The image below shows that Unity Bancorp has a lower P/E than the average (12.7) P/E for companies in the banks industry.
Its relatively low P/E ratio indicates that Unity Bancorp shareholders think it will struggle to do as well as other companies in its industry classification. Since the market seems unimpressed with Unity Bancorp, it's quite possible it could surprise on the upside. It is arguably worth checking if insiders are buying shares, because that might imply they believe the stock is undervalued.
A Limitation: P/E Ratios Ignore Debt and Cash In The Bank
Don't forget that the P/E ratio considers market capitalization. That means it doesn't take debt or cash into account. 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.
How Does Unity Bancorp's Debt Impact Its P/E Ratio?
Unity Bancorp's net debt is 25% of its market cap. This could bring some additional risk, and reduce the number of investment options for management; worth remembering if you compare its P/E to businesses without debt.
The Verdict On Unity Bancorp's P/E Ratio
Unity Bancorp trades on a P/E ratio of 10, which is below the US market average of 17.7. The EPS growth last year was strong, and debt levels are quite reasonable. The low P/E ratio suggests current market expectations are muted, implying these levels of growth will not continue.
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 report on the analyst consensus forecasts could help you make a master move on this stock.
Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with modest (or no) debt, trading on a P/E below 20.
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.
