The Price Is Right For PPK Group Limited (ASX:PPK)
With a price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 43x PPK Group Limited (ASX:PPK) may be sending very bearish signals at the moment, given that almost half of all companies in Australia have P/E ratios under 19x and even P/E's lower than 11x are not unusual. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the highly elevated P/E.
With earnings growth that's exceedingly strong of late, PPK Group has been doing very well. It seems that many are expecting the strong earnings performance to beat most other companies over the coming period, which has increased investors’ willingness to pay up for the stock. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.
Check out our latest analysis for PPK Group
Although there are no analyst estimates available for PPK Group, take a look at this free data-rich visualisation to see how the company stacks up on earnings, revenue and cash flow.
How Is PPK Group's Growth Trending?
In order to justify its P/E ratio, PPK Group would need to produce outstanding growth well in excess of the market.
Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew earnings per share by an impressive 286% last year. The latest three year period has also seen an excellent 1,193% overall rise in EPS, aided by its short-term performance. Accordingly, shareholders would have probably welcomed those medium-term rates of earnings growth.
Weighing that recent medium-term earnings trajectory against the broader market's one-year forecast for expansion of 23% shows it's noticeably more attractive on an annualised basis.
With this information, we can see why PPK Group is trading at such a high P/E compared to the market. It seems most investors are expecting this strong growth to continue and are willing to pay more for the stock.
The Key Takeaway
Using the price-to-earnings ratio alone to determine if you should sell your stock isn't sensible, however it can be a practical guide to the company's future prospects.
As we suspected, our examination of PPK Group revealed its three-year earnings trends are contributing to its high P/E, given they look better than current market expectations. Right now shareholders are comfortable with the P/E as they are quite confident earnings aren't under threat. Unless the recent medium-term conditions change, they will continue to provide strong support to the share price.
It is also worth noting that we have found 3 warning signs for PPK Group that you need to take into consideration.
If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on PPK Group, explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there.
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. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
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