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What Is Parsley Energy's (NYSE:PE) P/E Ratio After Its Share Price Rocketed?

Parsley Energy (NYSE:PE) shareholders are no doubt pleased to see that the share price has bounced 45% in the last month alone, although it is still down 51% over the last quarter. But that will do little to salve the savage burn caused by the 59% share price decline, over the last year.

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 ratio means that investors have a high expectation about future growth, while a low P/E ratio means they have low expectations about future growth.

Check out our latest analysis for Parsley Energy

How Does Parsley Energy's P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers?

We can tell from its P/E ratio of 13.25 that there is some investor optimism about Parsley Energy. You can see in the image below that the average P/E (8.1) for companies in the oil and gas industry is lower than Parsley Energy's P/E.

NYSE:PE Price Estimation Relative to Market April 24th 2020
NYSE:PE Price Estimation Relative to Market April 24th 2020

Parsley Energy's P/E tells us that market participants think the company will perform better than its industry peers, going forward. Shareholders are clearly optimistic, but the future is always uncertain. So investors should delve deeper. I like to check if company insiders have been buying or selling.

How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

Generally speaking the rate of earnings growth has a profound impact on a company's P/E multiple. If earnings are growing quickly, then the 'E' in the equation will increase faster than it would otherwise. That means even if the current P/E is high, it will reduce over time if the share price stays flat. So while a stock may look expensive based on past earnings, it could be cheap based on future earnings.

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Parsley Energy's earnings per share fell by 54% in the last twelve months.

Remember: P/E Ratios Don't Consider The Balance Sheet

Don't forget that the P/E ratio considers market capitalization. In other words, it does not consider any debt or cash that the company may have on the balance sheet. 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.

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.

How Does Parsley Energy's Debt Impact Its P/E Ratio?

Parsley Energy's net debt is 68% of its market cap. This is a reasonably significant level of debt -- all else being equal you'd expect a much lower P/E than if it had net cash.

The Verdict On Parsley Energy's P/E Ratio

Parsley Energy has a P/E of 13.2. That's around the same as the average in the US market, which is 13.3. With significant debt and no EPS growth last year, the P/E suggests shareholders are expecting higher profit in the future. What is very clear is that the market has become more optimistic about Parsley Energy over the last month, with the P/E ratio rising from 9.1 back then to 13.2 today. If you like to buy stocks that have recently impressed the market, then this one might be a candidate; but if you prefer to invest when there is 'blood in the streets', then you may feel the opportunity has passed.

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 report on the analyst consensus forecasts could help you make a master move on this stock.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with modest (or no) debt, trading on a P/E 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.