Don't Sell FirstCash, Inc. (NASDAQ:FCFS) Before You Read This

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This article is written for those who want to get better at using price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). We'll look at FirstCash, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:FCFS) P/E ratio and reflect on what it tells us about the company's share price. What is FirstCash's P/E ratio? Well, based on the last twelve months it is 28.08. That is equivalent to an earnings yield of about 3.6%.

Check out our latest analysis for FirstCash

How Do I Calculate A Price To Earnings Ratio?

The formula for P/E is:

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

Or for FirstCash:

P/E of 28.08 = $98.3 ÷ $3.5 (Based on the year to March 2019.)

Is A High Price-to-Earnings Ratio Good?

The higher the P/E ratio, the higher the price tag of a business, relative to its trailing 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

Earnings growth rates have a big influence on P/E ratios. If earnings are growing quickly, then the 'E' in the equation will increase faster than it would otherwise. 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.

FirstCash saw earnings per share improve by -8.5% last year. And earnings per share have improved by 3.1% annually, over the last five years.

Does FirstCash 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. The image below shows that FirstCash has a significantly higher P/E than the average (9) P/E for companies in the consumer finance industry.

NasdaqGS:FCFS Price Estimation Relative to Market, June 18th 2019
NasdaqGS:FCFS Price Estimation Relative to Market, June 18th 2019

That means that the market expects FirstCash 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.

A Limitation: P/E Ratios Ignore Debt and Cash In The Bank

Don't forget that the P/E ratio considers market capitalization. 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).

So What Does FirstCash's Balance Sheet Tell Us?

Net debt totals 12% of FirstCash's market cap. That's enough debt to impact the P/E ratio a little; so keep it in mind if you're comparing it to companies without debt.

The Bottom Line On FirstCash's P/E Ratio

FirstCash's P/E is 28.1 which is above average (17.6) in the US market. With debt at prudent levels and improving earnings, it's fair to say the market expects steady progress in the future.

Investors have an opportunity when market expectations about a stock are wrong. If the reality for a company is better than it expects, you can make money by buying and holding for the long term. So this free visual report on analyst forecasts could hold the key to an excellent investment decision.

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