Do You Like Victory Capital Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:VCTR) At This P/E Ratio?
This article is for investors who would like to improve their understanding of price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). We'll look at Victory Capital Holdings, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:VCTR) P/E ratio and reflect on what it tells us about the company's share price. Victory Capital Holdings has a P/E ratio of 15.86, based on the last twelve months. That means that at current prices, buyers pay $15.86 for every $1 in trailing yearly profits.
Check out our latest analysis for Victory Capital Holdings
How Do You Calculate A P/E Ratio?
The formula for P/E is:
Price to Earnings Ratio = Share Price ÷ Earnings per Share (EPS)
Or for Victory Capital Holdings:
P/E of 15.86 = $15.24 ÷ $0.96 (Based on the year to December 2018.)
Is A High Price-to-Earnings Ratio Good?
The higher the P/E ratio, the higher the price tag of a business, relative to its trailing earnings. That is not a good or a bad thing per se, but a high P/E does imply buyers are optimistic about the future.
How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios
Probably the most important factor in determining what P/E a company trades on is the earnings growth. If earnings are growing quickly, then the 'E' in the equation will increase faster than it would otherwise. And in that case, the P/E ratio itself will drop rather quickly. So while a stock may look expensive based on past earnings, it could be cheap based on future earnings.
Victory Capital Holdings's earnings made like a rocket, taking off 104% last year. The sweetener is that the annual five year growth rate of 64% is also impressive. So I'd be surprised if the P/E ratio was not above average.
How Does Victory Capital Holdings'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. If you look at the image below, you can see Victory Capital Holdings has a lower P/E than the average (30.5) in the capital markets industry classification.
Its relatively low P/E ratio indicates that Victory Capital Holdings shareholders think it will struggle to do as well as other companies in its industry classification. Since the market seems unimpressed with Victory Capital Holdings, it's quite possible it could surprise on the upside. 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
Don't forget that the P/E ratio considers market capitalization. Thus, the metric does not reflect cash or debt held by the company. 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.
Victory Capital Holdings's Balance Sheet
Victory Capital Holdings's net debt is 21% 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 Victory Capital Holdings's P/E Ratio
Victory Capital Holdings has a P/E of 15.9. That's below the average in the US market, which is 18. The company does have a little debt, and EPS growth was good last year. If it continues to grow, then the current low P/E may prove to be unjustified. 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 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.
Of course you might be able to find a better stock than Victory Capital 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.
