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Is Taoping Inc.'s (NASDAQ:TAOP) P/E Ratio Really That Good?

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This article is for investors who would like to improve their understanding of price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). To keep it practical, we'll show how Taoping Inc.'s (NASDAQ:TAOP) P/E ratio could help you assess the value on offer. Looking at earnings over the last twelve months, Taoping has a P/E ratio of 23.7. In other words, at today's prices, investors are paying $23.7 for every $1 in prior year profit.

See our latest analysis for Taoping

How Do I Calculate A Price To Earnings Ratio?

The formula for P/E is:

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Price to Earnings Ratio = Share Price ÷ Earnings per Share (EPS)

Or for Taoping:

P/E of 23.7 = $0.98 ÷ $0.041 (Based on the year to December 2018.)

Is A High Price-to-Earnings Ratio Good?

A higher P/E ratio means that investors are paying a higher price for each $1 of company 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.

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. So while a stock may look expensive based on past earnings, it could be cheap based on future earnings.

In the last year, Taoping grew EPS like Taylor Swift grew her fan base back in 2010; the 94% gain was both fast and well deserved.

Does Taoping Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry?

The P/E ratio essentially measures market expectations of a company. We can see in the image below that the average P/E (32.8) for companies in the it industry is higher than Taoping's P/E.

NasdaqCM:TAOP Price Estimation Relative to Market, May 10th 2019
NasdaqCM:TAOP Price Estimation Relative to Market, May 10th 2019

This suggests that market participants think Taoping will underperform other companies in its 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.

Don't Forget: The P/E Does Not Account For Debt or Bank Deposits

It's important to note that the P/E ratio considers the market capitalization, not the enterprise value. Thus, the metric does not reflect cash or debt held by the company. Hypothetically, a company could reduce its future P/E ratio by spending its cash (or taking on debt) to achieve higher earnings.

Such expenditure might be good or bad, in the long term, but the point here is that the balance sheet is not reflected by this ratio.

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

Taoping's net debt is 11% of its market cap. This could bring some additional risk, and reduce the number of investment options for management; worth remembering if you compare its P/E to businesses without debt.

The Verdict On Taoping's P/E Ratio

Taoping has a P/E of 23.7. That's higher than the average in the US market, which is 18.1. While the company does use modest debt, its recent earnings growth is superb. So on this analysis a high P/E ratio seems reasonable.

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.' We don't have analyst forecasts, but shareholders might want to examine this detailed historical graph of earnings, revenue and cash flow.

But note: Taoping 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).

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.