Does Hoist Finance AB (publ) (STO:HOFI) Have A Good P/E Ratio?

This article is written for those who want to get better at using price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). We'll look at Hoist Finance AB (publ)'s (STO:HOFI) P/E ratio and reflect on what it tells us about the company's share price. Looking at earnings over the last twelve months, Hoist Finance has a P/E ratio of 6.79. That is equivalent to an earnings yield of about 14.7%.

Check out our latest analysis for Hoist Finance

How Do I Calculate A Price To Earnings Ratio?

The formula for price to earnings is:

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

Or for Hoist Finance:

P/E of 6.79 = SEK48.00 ÷ SEK7.07 (Based on the year to September 2019.)

Is A High Price-to-Earnings Ratio Good?

A higher P/E ratio means that buyers have to pay a higher price for each SEK1 the company has earned over the last year. That isn't necessarily good or bad, but a high P/E implies relatively high expectations of what a company can achieve in the future.

Does Hoist Finance Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry?

The P/E ratio essentially measures market expectations of a company. The image below shows that Hoist Finance has a lower P/E than the average (12.2) P/E for companies in the consumer finance industry.

Its relatively low P/E ratio indicates that Hoist Finance shareholders think it will struggle to do as well as other companies in its industry classification. Since the market seems unimpressed with Hoist Finance, it's quite possible it could surprise on the upside. You should delve deeper. I like to check if company insiders have been buying or selling.

How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

Probably the most important factor in determining what P/E a company trades on is the earnings growth. When earnings grow, the 'E' increases, over time. And in that case, the P/E ratio itself will drop rather quickly. And as that P/E ratio drops, the company will look cheap, unless its share price increases.

Hoist Finance increased earnings per share by a whopping 33% last year. And it has bolstered its earnings per share by 18% per year over the last five years. So we'd generally expect it to have a relatively high P/E ratio.

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. 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.

Is Debt Impacting Hoist Finance's P/E?

Net debt totals a substantial 201% of Hoist Finance's market cap. This level of debt justifies a relatively low P/E, so remain cognizant of the debt, if you're comparing it to other stocks.

The Verdict On Hoist Finance's P/E Ratio

Hoist Finance trades on a P/E ratio of 6.8, which is below the SE market average of 19.3. The company may have significant debt, but EPS growth was good last year. The low P/E ratio suggests current market expectations are muted, implying these levels of growth will not continue.

Investors should be looking to buy stocks that the market is wrong about. 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 visual report on analyst forecasts could hold the key to an excellent investment decision.

But note: Hoist Finance may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and a P/E ratio 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.

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. Thank you for reading.