In This Article:
Today, we'll introduce the concept of the P/E ratio for those who are learning about investing. To keep it practical, we'll show how Boule Diagnostics AB (publ)'s (STO:BOUL) P/E ratio could help you assess the value on offer. Boule Diagnostics has a price to earnings ratio of 39.38, based on the last twelve months. In other words, at today's prices, investors are paying SEK39.38 for every SEK1 in prior year profit.
Check out our latest analysis for Boule Diagnostics
How Do You Calculate A P/E Ratio?
The formula for price to earnings is:
Price to Earnings Ratio = Price per Share ÷ Earnings per Share (EPS)
Or for Boule Diagnostics:
P/E of 39.38 = SEK43.05 ÷ SEK1.09 (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2019.)
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. 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 Boule Diagnostics Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry?
One good way to get a quick read on what market participants expect of a company is to look at its P/E ratio. You can see in the image below that the average P/E (41.9) for companies in the medical equipment industry is roughly the same as Boule Diagnostics's P/E.
Boule Diagnostics's P/E tells us that market participants think its prospects are roughly in line with its industry. So if Boule Diagnostics actually outperforms its peers going forward, that should be a positive for the share price. Checking factors such as director buying and selling. could help you form your own view on if that will happen.
How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios
If earnings fall then in the future the 'E' will be lower. Therefore, even if you pay a low multiple of earnings now, that multiple will become higher in the future. A higher P/E should indicate the stock is expensive relative to others -- and that may encourage shareholders to sell.
Boule Diagnostics's earnings per share fell by 64% in the last twelve months. And EPS is down 1.6% a year, over the last 3 years. This growth rate might warrant a low P/E ratio.
A Limitation: P/E Ratios Ignore Debt and Cash In The Bank
Don't forget that the P/E ratio considers market capitalization. That means it doesn't take debt or cash into account. In theory, a company can lower its future P/E ratio by using cash or debt to invest in 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.