Earnings Not Telling The Story For Dollar Tree, Inc. (NASDAQ:DLTR)

Simply Wall St
·3 min read

There wouldn't be many who think Dollar Tree, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:DLTR) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 20.7x is worth a mention when the median P/E in the United States is similar at about 23x. While this might not raise any eyebrows, if the P/E ratio is not justified investors could be missing out on a potential opportunity or ignoring looming disappointment.

Recent times have been advantageous for Dollar Tree as its earnings have been rising faster than most other companies. One possibility is that the P/E is moderate because investors think this strong earnings performance might be about to tail off. If not, then existing shareholders have reason to be feeling optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

View our latest analysis for Dollar Tree

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If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report on Dollar Tree.

Does Growth Match The P/E?

Dollar Tree's P/E ratio would be typical for a company that's only expected to deliver moderate growth, and importantly, perform in line with the market.

If we review the last year of earnings growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 68%. Despite this strong recent growth, it's still struggling to catch up as its three-year EPS frustratingly shrank by 22% overall. So unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that the company has not done a great job of growing earnings over that time.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the analysts covering the company suggest earnings should grow by 10% per annum over the next three years. With the market predicted to deliver 15% growth per year, the company is positioned for a weaker earnings result.

In light of this, it's curious that Dollar Tree's P/E sits in line with the majority of other companies. Apparently many investors in the company are less bearish than analysts indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock right now. These shareholders may be setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/E falls to levels more in line with the growth outlook.

The Final Word

While the price-to-earnings ratio shouldn't be the defining factor in whether you buy a stock or not, it's quite a capable barometer of earnings expectations.

We've established that Dollar Tree currently trades on a higher than expected P/E since its forecast growth is lower than the wider market. Right now we are uncomfortable with the P/E as the predicted future earnings aren't likely to support a more positive sentiment for long. This places shareholders' investments at risk and potential investors in danger of paying an unnecessary premium.

You always need to take note of risks, for example - Dollar Tree has 2 warning signs we think you should be aware of.

If P/E ratios interest you, you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have grown earnings strongly and trade on P/E's below 20x.

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. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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