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Don't Sell NMI Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:NMIH) Before You Read This

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 NMI Holdings, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:NMIH) P/E ratio could help you assess the value on offer. Based on the last twelve months, NMI Holdings's P/E ratio is 13.84. That means that at current prices, buyers pay $13.84 for every $1 in trailing yearly profits.

See our latest analysis for NMI Holdings

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 NMI Holdings:

P/E of 13.84 = $27.49 ÷ $1.99 (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2019.)

Is A High Price-to-Earnings Ratio Good?

A higher P/E ratio means that investors are paying a higher price for each $1 of company earnings. 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.

Does NMI Holdings Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry?

We can get an indication of market expectations by looking at the P/E ratio. As you can see below NMI Holdings has a P/E ratio that is fairly close for the average for the mortgage industry, which is 13.8.

NasdaqGM:NMIH Price Estimation Relative to Market, August 9th 2019
NasdaqGM:NMIH Price Estimation Relative to Market, August 9th 2019

Its P/E ratio suggests that NMI Holdings shareholders think that in the future it will perform about the same as other companies in its industry classification. The company could surprise by performing better than average, in the future. Further research into factors such as insider buying and selling, could help you form your own view on whether that is likely.

How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

Earnings growth rates have a big influence on P/E ratios. When earnings grow, the 'E' increases, over time. That means unless the share price increases, the P/E will reduce in a few years. And as that P/E ratio drops, the company will look cheap, unless its share price increases.

In the last year, NMI Holdings grew EPS like Taylor Swift grew her fan base back in 2010; the 112% gain was both fast and well deserved.

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

It's important to note that the P/E ratio considers the market capitalization, not the enterprise value. In other words, it does not consider any debt or cash that the company may have on the balance sheet. In theory, a company can lower its future P/E ratio by using cash or debt to invest in growth.

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.

How Does NMI Holdings's Debt Impact Its P/E Ratio?

Net debt totals just 3.2% of NMI Holdings's market cap. 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 NMI Holdings's P/E Ratio

NMI Holdings's P/E is 13.8 which is below average (17.6) in the US market. The company does have a little debt, and EPS growth was good last year. The low P/E ratio suggests current market expectations are muted, implying these levels of growth will not continue. Since analysts are predicting growth will continue, one might expect to see a higher P/E so it may be worth looking closer.

When the market is wrong about a stock, it gives savvy investors an opportunity. If the reality for a company is not as bad as the P/E ratio indicates, then the share price should increase as the market realizes this. 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 NMI Holdings. 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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