Advertisement
Canada markets open in 25 minutes
  • S&P/TSX

    22,107.08
    +194.56 (+0.89%)
     
  • S&P 500

    5,248.49
    +44.91 (+0.86%)
     
  • DOW

    39,760.08
    +477.75 (+1.22%)
     
  • CAD/USD

    0.7370
    -0.0003 (-0.03%)
     
  • CRUDE OIL

    82.62
    +1.27 (+1.56%)
     
  • Bitcoin CAD

    96,119.48
    +498.75 (+0.52%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    885.54
    0.00 (0.00%)
     
  • GOLD FUTURES

    2,230.90
    +18.20 (+0.82%)
     
  • RUSSELL 2000

    2,114.35
    +44.19 (+2.13%)
     
  • 10-Yr Bond

    4.2180
    +0.0220 (+0.52%)
     
  • NASDAQ futures

    18,487.75
    -16.00 (-0.09%)
     
  • VOLATILITY

    12.99
    +0.21 (+1.64%)
     
  • FTSE

    7,956.56
    +24.58 (+0.31%)
     
  • NIKKEI 225

    40,168.07
    -594.66 (-1.46%)
     
  • CAD/EUR

    0.6813
    +0.0008 (+0.12%)
     

Don't Sell Clean Harbors, Inc. (NYSE:CLH) Before You Read This

The goal of this article is to teach you how to use price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). We'll show how you can use Clean Harbors, Inc.'s (NYSE:CLH) P/E ratio to inform your assessment of the investment opportunity. What is Clean Harbors's P/E ratio? Well, based on the last twelve months it is 62.38. That is equivalent to an earnings yield of about 1.6%.

See our latest analysis for Clean Harbors

How Do You Calculate A P/E Ratio?

The formula for price to earnings is:

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

Or for Clean Harbors:

P/E of 62.38 = $72.92 ÷ $1.17 (Based on the year to December 2018.)

Is A High P/E Ratio Good?

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

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. A lower P/E should indicate the stock is cheap relative to others -- and that may attract buyers.

ADVERTISEMENT

Clean Harbors saw earnings per share decrease by 34% last year. But over the longer term (3 years), earnings per share have increased by 16%. And it has shrunk its earnings per share by 5.8% per year over the last five years. This growth rate might warrant a below average P/E ratio.

How Does Clean Harbors's P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers?

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 (21.5) for companies in the commercial services industry is lower than Clean Harbors's P/E.

NYSE:CLH Price Estimation Relative to Market, April 23rd 2019
NYSE:CLH Price Estimation Relative to Market, April 23rd 2019

Clean Harbors'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 investors should always consider the P/E ratio alongside other factors, such as whether company directors have been buying shares.

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

Don't forget that the P/E ratio considers market capitalization. That means it doesn't take debt or cash into account. 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.

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.

Clean Harbors's Balance Sheet

Net debt is 32% of Clean Harbors's market cap. You'd want to be aware of this fact, but it doesn't bother us.

The Verdict On Clean Harbors's P/E Ratio

With a P/E ratio of 62.4, Clean Harbors is expected to grow earnings very strongly in the years to come. With some debt but no EPS growth last year, the market has high expectations of future profits.

When the market is wrong about a stock, it gives savvy investors an opportunity. 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 report on the analyst consensus forecasts could help you make a master move on this stock.

Of course you might be able to find a better stock than Clean Harbors. 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.