Yahoo Finance Should We Worry About Guardian Capital Group Limited's (TSE:GCG.A) P/E Ratio?
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 Guardian Capital Group Limited's (TSE:GCG.A) P/E ratio could help you assess the value on offer. Guardian Capital Group has a P/E ratio of 13.52, based on the last twelve months. In other words, at today's prices, investors are paying CA$13.52 for every CA$1 in prior year profit.
See our latest analysis for Guardian Capital Group
How Do You Calculate A P/E Ratio?
The formula for P/E is:
Price to Earnings Ratio = Price per Share ÷ Earnings per Share (EPS)
Or for Guardian Capital Group:
P/E of 13.52 = CA$24.56 ÷ CA$1.82 (Based on the year to June 2019.)
Is A High P/E Ratio Good?
A higher P/E ratio means that investors are paying a higher price for each CA$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.
Does Guardian Capital Group 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. As you can see below, Guardian Capital Group has a higher P/E than the average company (10.5) in the capital markets industry.
Guardian Capital Group'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 delve deeper. I like to check if company insiders have been buying or selling.
How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios
If earnings fall then in the future the 'E' will be lower. That means unless the share price falls, the P/E will increase in a few years. Then, a higher P/E might scare off shareholders, pushing the share price down.
Guardian Capital Group saw earnings per share decrease by 34% last year. But it has grown its earnings per share by 4.1% per year over the last five years. And it has shrunk its earnings per share by 2.0% per year over the last three years. This might lead to low expectations.
A Limitation: P/E Ratios Ignore Debt and Cash In The Bank
It's important to note that the P/E ratio considers the market capitalization, not the enterprise value. 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.
Is Debt Impacting Guardian Capital Group's P/E?
Net debt totals just 9.2% of Guardian Capital Group's market cap. So it doesn't have as many options as it would with net cash, but its debt would not have much of an impact on its P/E ratio.
The Verdict On Guardian Capital Group's P/E Ratio
Guardian Capital Group has a P/E of 13.5. That's around the same as the average in the CA market, which is 14.1. Given it has some debt, but didn't grow last year, the P/E indicates the market is expecting higher profits ahead for the business.
Investors have an opportunity when market expectations about a stock are wrong. If the reality for a company is not as bad as the P/E ratio indicates, then the share price should increase as the market realizes this. So this free visualization of the analyst consensus on future earnings could help you make the right decision about whether to buy, sell, or hold.
You might be able to find a better buy than Guardian Capital Group. If you want a selection of possible winners, check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a P/E below 20 (but have proven they can grow earnings).
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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.
