Yahoo Finance Here's What The Weir Group PLC's (LON:WEIR) P/E Is Telling Us
Today, we'll introduce the concept of the P/E ratio for those who are learning about investing. We'll look at The Weir Group PLC's (LON:WEIR) P/E ratio and reflect on what it tells us about the company's share price. Looking at earnings over the last twelve months, Weir Group has a P/E ratio of 56.93. That corresponds to an earnings yield of approximately 1.8%.
View our latest analysis for Weir Group
How Do I Calculate A Price To Earnings Ratio?
The formula for price to earnings is:
Price to Earnings Ratio = Share Price ÷ Earnings per Share (EPS)
Or for Weir Group:
P/E of 56.93 = £14.65 ÷ £0.26 (Based on the year to June 2019.)
Is A High P/E Ratio Good?
The higher the P/E ratio, the higher the price tag of a business, relative to its trailing earnings. That isn't a good or a bad thing on its own, but a high P/E means that buyers have a higher opinion of the business's prospects, relative to stocks with a lower P/E.
Does Weir Group Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry?
We can get an indication of market expectations by looking at the P/E ratio. You can see in the image below that the average P/E (20.2) for companies in the machinery industry is lower than Weir Group's P/E.
Its relatively high P/E ratio indicates that Weir Group shareholders think it will perform better than other companies in its industry classification. The market is optimistic about the future, but that doesn't guarantee future growth. So investors should delve deeper. I like to check if company insiders have been buying or selling.
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. Then, a lower P/E should attract more buyers, pushing the share price up.
Weir Group's earnings per share fell by 69% in the last twelve months. And over the longer term (5 years) earnings per share have decreased 30% annually. This could justify a pessimistic P/E.
Don't Forget: The P/E Does Not Account For Debt or Bank Deposits
The 'Price' in P/E reflects the market capitalization of the company. Thus, the metric does not reflect cash or debt held by the company. 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.
So What Does Weir Group's Balance Sheet Tell Us?
Weir Group has net debt equal to 35% of its market cap. While that's enough to warrant consideration, it doesn't really concern us.
The Verdict On Weir Group's P/E Ratio
Weir Group's P/E is 56.9 which suggests the market is more focussed on the future opportunity rather than the current level of earnings. With a bit of debt, but a lack of recent growth, it's safe to say the market is expecting improved profit performance from the company, in the next few years.
Investors should be looking to buy stocks that the market is wrong about. 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 visual report on analyst forecasts could hold the key to an excellent investment decision.
Of course you might be able to find a better stock than Weir Group. 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.
