Yahoo Finance What Is Games Workshop Group's (LON:GAW) P/E Ratio After Its Share Price Rocketed?
It's really great to see that even after a strong run, Games Workshop Group (LON:GAW) shares have been powering on, with a gain of 30% in the last thirty days. Zooming out, the annual gain of 103% knocks our socks off.
All else being equal, a sharp share price increase should make a stock less attractive to potential investors. 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). So some would prefer to hold off buying when there is a lot of optimism towards a stock. One way to gauge market expectations of a stock is to look at its Price to Earnings Ratio (PE Ratio). A high P/E implies that investors have high expectations of what a company can achieve compared to a company with a low P/E ratio.
View our latest analysis for Games Workshop Group
Does Games Workshop Group Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry?
Games Workshop Group's P/E of 28.41 indicates some degree of optimism towards the stock. You can see in the image below that the average P/E (18.6) for companies in the leisure industry is lower than Games Workshop Group's P/E.
That means that the market expects Games Workshop Group will outperform other companies in its industry. Clearly the market expects growth, but it isn't guaranteed. So investors should always consider the P/E ratio alongside other factors, such as whether company directors have been buying shares.
How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios
Earnings growth rates have a big influence on P/E ratios. 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. Then, a lower P/E should attract more buyers, pushing the share price up.
Games Workshop Group increased earnings per share by an impressive 10% over the last twelve months. And its annual EPS growth rate over 5 years is 52%. With that performance, you might expect an above average P/E ratio.
A Limitation: P/E Ratios Ignore Debt and Cash In The Bank
The 'Price' in P/E reflects the market capitalization of the company. So it won't reflect the advantage of cash, or disadvantage of debt. 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 Games Workshop Group's Debt Impact Its P/E Ratio?
Games Workshop Group has net cash of UK£29m. That should lead to a higher P/E than if it did have debt, because its strong balance sheets gives it more options.
The Bottom Line On Games Workshop Group's P/E Ratio
Games Workshop Group trades on a P/E ratio of 28.4, which is above its market average of 17.2. Its net cash position supports a higher P/E ratio, as does its solid recent earnings growth. Therefore it seems reasonable that the market would have relatively high expectations of the company What is very clear is that the market has become significantly more optimistic about Games Workshop Group over the last month, with the P/E ratio rising from 21.8 back then to 28.4 today. For those who prefer to invest with the flow of momentum, that might mean it's time to put the stock on a watchlist, or research it. But the contrarian may see it as a missed opportunity.
When the market is wrong about a stock, it gives savvy investors an opportunity. People often underestimate remarkable growth -- so investors can make money when fast growth is not fully appreciated. 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.
But note: Games Workshop Group may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and a P/E ratio below 20).
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.
