This article is for investors who would like to improve their understanding of price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). We’ll apply a basic P/E ratio analysis to CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Limited’s (HKG:1093), to help you decide if the stock is worth further research. CSPC Pharmaceutical Group has a P/E ratio of 23.53, based on the last twelve months. In other words, at today’s prices, investors are paying HK$23.53 for every HK$1 in prior year profit.
See our latest analysis for CSPC Pharmaceutical Group
How Do You Calculate CSPC Pharmaceutical Group’s P/E Ratio?
The formula for P/E is:
Price to Earnings Ratio = Price per Share (in the reporting currency) ÷ Earnings per Share (EPS)
Or for CSPC Pharmaceutical Group:
P/E of 23.53 = CN¥14.034 ÷ CN¥0.597 (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2019.)
(Note: the above calculation uses the share price in the reporting currency, namely CNY and the calculation results may not be precise due to rounding.)
Is A High P/E Ratio Good?
A higher P/E ratio means that buyers have to pay a higher price for each CN¥1 the company has earned over the last year. That is not a good or a bad thing per se, but a high P/E does imply buyers are optimistic about the future.
How Does CSPC Pharmaceutical Group’s P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers?
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 (10.6) for companies in the pharmaceuticals industry is lower than CSPC Pharmaceutical Group’s P/E.
SEHK:1093 Price Estimation Relative to Market April 27th 2020
That means that the market expects CSPC Pharmaceutical Group will outperform other companies in its industry. The market is optimistic about the future, but that doesn’t guarantee future growth. So further research is always essential. I often monitor director buying and selling.
How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios
P/E ratios primarily reflect market expectations around earnings growth rates. Earnings growth means that in the future the ‘E’ will be higher. And in that case, the P/E ratio itself will drop rather quickly. Then, a lower P/E should attract more buyers, pushing the share price up.
It’s great to see that CSPC Pharmaceutical Group grew EPS by 16% in the last year. And its annual EPS growth rate over 5 years is 28%. This could arguably justify a relatively high P/E ratio.
Don’t Forget: The P/E Does Not Account For Debt or Bank Deposits
The ‘Price’ in P/E reflects the market capitalization of the company. So it won’t reflect the advantage of cash, or disadvantage of debt. In theory, a company can lower its future P/E ratio by using cash or debt to invest in growth.
Spending on growth might be good or bad a few years later, but the point is that the P/E ratio does not account for the option (or lack thereof).
CSPC Pharmaceutical Group’s Balance Sheet
CSPC Pharmaceutical Group has net cash of CN¥6.3b. That should lead to a higher P/E than if it did have debt, because its strong balance sheets gives it more options.
The Verdict On CSPC Pharmaceutical Group’s P/E Ratio
CSPC Pharmaceutical Group’s P/E is 23.5 which is above average (9.3) in its market. With cash in the bank the company has plenty of growth options — and it is already on the right track. So it is not surprising the market is probably extrapolating recent growth well into the future, reflected in the relatively high P/E ratio.
Investors should be looking to buy stocks that the market is wrong about. People often underestimate remarkable growth — so investors can make money when fast growth is not fully appreciated. So this free report on the analyst consensus forecasts could help you make a master move on this stock.
Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with modest (or no) debt, trading on a P/E below 20.
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.
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