Yahoo Finance How Does Plastiques du Val de Loire's (EPA:PVL) P/E Compare To Its Industry, After The Share Price Drop?
Unfortunately for some shareholders, the Plastiques du Val de Loire (EPA:PVL) share price has dived 43% in the last thirty days. That drop has capped off a tough year for shareholders, with the share price down 49% in that time.
Assuming nothing else has changed, a lower share price makes a stock more attractive to potential buyers. While the market sentiment towards a stock is very changeable, in the long run, the share price will tend to move in the same direction as earnings per share. So, on certain occasions, long term focussed investors try to take advantage of pessimistic expectations to buy shares at a better price. One way to gauge market expectations of a stock 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.
See our latest analysis for Plastiques du Val de Loire
Does Plastiques du Val de Loire Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry?
We can tell from its P/E ratio of 3.10 that sentiment around Plastiques du Val de Loire isn't particularly high. We can see in the image below that the average P/E (16.6) for companies in the chemicals industry is higher than Plastiques du Val de Loire's P/E.
Plastiques du Val de Loire's P/E tells us that market participants think it will not fare as well as its peers in the same industry. Many investors like to buy stocks when the market is pessimistic about their prospects. It is arguably worth checking if insiders are buying shares, because that might imply they believe the stock is undervalued.
How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios
Companies that shrink earnings per share quickly will rapidly decrease the 'E' in the equation. That means unless the share price falls, the P/E will increase in a few years. So while a stock may look cheap based on past earnings, it could be expensive based on future earnings.
Plastiques du Val de Loire's earnings per share fell by 37% in the last twelve months. But it has grown its earnings per share by 20% per year over the last five years. And it has shrunk its earnings per share by 6.5% per year over the last three years. This could justify a low P/E.
Don't Forget: The P/E Does Not Account For Debt or Bank Deposits
One drawback of using a P/E ratio is that it considers market capitalization, but not the balance sheet. 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 Plastiques du Val de Loire's P/E?
Plastiques du Val de Loire has net debt worth a very significant 226% of its market capitalization. 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 Bottom Line On Plastiques du Val de Loire's P/E Ratio
Plastiques du Val de Loire has a P/E of 3.1. That's below the average in the FR market, which is 14.2. Given meaningful debt, and a lack of recent growth, the market looks to be extrapolating this recent performance; reflecting low expectations for the future. What can be absolutely certain is that the market has become more pessimistic about Plastiques du Val de Loire over the last month, with the P/E ratio falling from 5.4 back then to 3.1 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 have an opportunity when market expectations about a stock are wrong. As value investor Benjamin Graham famously said, 'In the short run, the market is a voting machine but in the long run, it is a weighing machine. So this free report on the analyst consensus forecasts could help you make a master move on this stock.
You might be able to find a better buy than Plastiques du Val de Loire. 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.
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.
