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This article is written for those who want to get better at using price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). We'll look at Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Limited's (ASX:CUV) P/E ratio and reflect on what it tells us about the company's share price. Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals has a price to earnings ratio of 66.07, based on the last twelve months. That is equivalent to an earnings yield of about 1.5%.
See our latest analysis for Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals
How Do I Calculate A Price To Earnings Ratio?
The formula for P/E is:
Price to Earnings Ratio = Price per Share ÷ Earnings per Share (EPS)
Or for Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals:
P/E of 66.07 = A$21.92 ÷ A$0.33 (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2018.)
Is A High Price-to-Earnings Ratio Good?
A higher P/E ratio implies that investors pay a higher price for the earning power of the business. All else being equal, it's better to pay a low price -- but as Warren Buffett said, 'It's far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price.'
How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios
Earnings growth rates have a big influence on P/E ratios. When earnings grow, the 'E' increases, over time. 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, Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals grew EPS like Taylor Swift grew her fan base back in 2010; the 161% gain was both fast and well deserved.
Does Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals 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. As you can see below, Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals has a much higher P/E than the average company (20.8) in the biotechs industry.
Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals's P/E tells us that market participants think the company will perform better than its industry peers, going forward. Clearly the market expects growth, but it isn't guaranteed. So further research is always essential. I often monitor director buying and selling.
Remember: P/E Ratios Don't Consider The Balance Sheet
Don't forget that the P/E ratio considers market capitalization. So it won't reflect the advantage of cash, or disadvantage of debt. Theoretically, a business can improve its earnings (and produce a lower P/E in the future) by investing in growth. That means taking on debt (or spending its cash).
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.