What Is Compagnie des Alpes's (EPA:CDA) P/E Ratio After Its Share Price Tanked?
To the annoyance of some shareholders, Compagnie des Alpes (EPA:CDA) shares are down a considerable 54% in the last month. Indeed the recent decline has arguably caused some bitterness for shareholders who have held through the 45% drop over twelve months.
Assuming nothing else has changed, a lower share price makes a stock more attractive to potential buyers. In the long term, share prices tend to follow earnings per share, but in the short term prices bounce around in response to short term factors (which are not always obvious). The implication here is that long term investors have an opportunity when expectations of a company are too low. Perhaps the simplest way to get a read on investors' expectations of a business is to look at its Price to Earnings Ratio (PE Ratio). Investors have optimistic expectations of companies with higher P/E ratios, compared to companies with lower P/E ratios.
View our latest analysis for Compagnie des Alpes
Does Compagnie des Alpes Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry?
We can tell from its P/E ratio of 5.19 that sentiment around Compagnie des Alpes isn't particularly high. We can see in the image below that the average P/E (14.2) for companies in the hospitality industry is higher than Compagnie des Alpes's P/E.
Its relatively low P/E ratio indicates that Compagnie des Alpes shareholders think it will struggle to do as well as other companies in its industry classification. Many investors like to buy stocks when the market is pessimistic about their prospects. If you consider the stock interesting, further research is recommended. For example, I often monitor director buying and selling.
How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios
P/E ratios primarily reflect market expectations around earnings growth rates. Earnings growth means that in the future the 'E' will be higher. 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.
Compagnie des Alpes increased earnings per share by an impressive 16% over the last twelve months. And its annual EPS growth rate over 5 years is 19%. So one might expect an above average P/E ratio.
A Limitation: P/E Ratios Ignore Debt and Cash In The Bank
One drawback of using a P/E ratio is that it considers market capitalization, but not the balance sheet. That means it doesn't take debt or cash into account. In theory, a company can lower its future P/E ratio by using cash or debt to invest in 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.
How Does Compagnie des Alpes's Debt Impact Its P/E Ratio?
Net debt totals a substantial 167% of Compagnie des Alpes's market cap. This is a relatively high level of debt, so the stock probably deserves a relatively low P/E ratio. Keep that in mind when comparing it to other companies.
The Verdict On Compagnie des Alpes's P/E Ratio
Compagnie des Alpes has a P/E of 5.2. That's below the average in the FR market, which is 13.0. While the EPS growth last year was strong, the significant debt levels reduce the number of options available to management. If the company can continue to grow earnings, then the current P/E may be unjustifiably low. What can be absolutely certain is that the market has become more pessimistic about Compagnie des Alpes over the last month, with the P/E ratio falling from 11.4 back then to 5.2 today. For those who prefer invest in growth, this stock apparently offers limited promise, but the deep value investors may find the pessimism around this stock enticing.
Investors should be looking to buy stocks that the market is wrong about. 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.
You might be able to find a better buy than Compagnie des Alpes. If you want a selection of possible winners, check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a P/E below 20 (but have proven they can grow earnings).
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.
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