Do You Know What Hoftex Group AG's (MUN:NBH) P/E Ratio Means?
This article is for investors who would like to improve their understanding of price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). We'll look at Hoftex Group AG's (MUN:NBH) P/E ratio and reflect on what it tells us about the company's share price. Hoftex Group has a price to earnings ratio of 11.45, based on the last twelve months. That corresponds to an earnings yield of approximately 8.7%.
See our latest analysis for Hoftex Group
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 Hoftex Group:
P/E of 11.45 = EUR11.40 ÷ EUR1.00 (Based on the year to June 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 EUR1 the company has earned over the last year. 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 Does Hoftex Group's P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers?
One good way to get a quick read on what market participants expect of a company is to look at its P/E ratio. The image below shows that Hoftex Group has a lower P/E than the average (26.0) P/E for companies in the luxury industry.
Hoftex Group'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. You should delve deeper. I like to check if company insiders have been buying or selling.
How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios
If earnings fall then in the future the 'E' will be lower. That means even if the current P/E is low, it will increase over time if the share price stays flat. So while a stock may look cheap based on past earnings, it could be expensive based on future earnings.
Hoftex Group's earnings per share fell by 32% in the last twelve months. But over the longer term (5 years) earnings per share have increased by 109%. And over the longer term (3 years) earnings per share have decreased 11% annually. This could justify a low P/E.
Remember: P/E Ratios Don't Consider The Balance Sheet
Don't forget that the P/E ratio considers market capitalization. Thus, the metric does not reflect cash or debt held by the company. The exact same company would hypothetically deserve a higher P/E ratio if it had a strong balance sheet, than if it had a weak one with lots of debt, because a cashed up company can spend on growth.
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.
Is Debt Impacting Hoftex Group's P/E?
Hoftex Group's net debt is 57% 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 Verdict On Hoftex Group's P/E Ratio
Hoftex Group trades on a P/E ratio of 11.4, which is below the DE market average of 20.9. The P/E reflects market pessimism that probably arises from the lack of recent EPS growth, paired with significant leverage.
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. Although we don't have analyst forecasts you could get a better understanding of its growth by checking out this more detailed historical graph of earnings, revenue and cash flow.
Of course you might be able to find a better stock than Hoftex Group. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have grown earnings strongly.
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.
