Why Geekay Wires Limited's (NSE:GEEKAYWIRE) High P/E Ratio Isn't Necessarily A Bad Thing

The goal of this article is to teach you how to use price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). We'll look at Geekay Wires Limited's (NSE:GEEKAYWIRE) P/E ratio and reflect on what it tells us about the company's share price. What is Geekay Wires's P/E ratio? Well, based on the last twelve months it is 11.68. That is equivalent to an earnings yield of about 8.6%.

See our latest analysis for Geekay Wires

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 Geekay Wires:

P/E of 11.68 = ₹32 ÷ ₹2.74 (Based on the year to March 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 ₹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.

Does Geekay Wires Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry?

We can get an indication of market expectations by looking at the P/E ratio. You can see in the image below that the average P/E (8.6) for companies in the metals and mining industry is lower than Geekay Wires's P/E.

NSEI:GEEKAYWIRE Price Estimation Relative to Market, August 17th 2019
NSEI:GEEKAYWIRE Price Estimation Relative to Market, August 17th 2019

That means that the market expects Geekay Wires will outperform other companies in its industry. Clearly the market expects growth, but it isn't guaranteed. So further research is always essential. I often monitor director buying and selling.

How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

Earnings growth rates have a big influence on P/E ratios. Earnings growth means that in the future the 'E' will be higher. That means even if the current P/E is high, it will reduce over time if the share price stays flat. Then, a lower P/E should attract more buyers, pushing the share price up.

In the last year, Geekay Wires grew EPS like Taylor Swift grew her fan base back in 2010; the 180% gain was both fast and well deserved. The cherry on top is that the five year growth rate was an impressive 52% per year. So I'd be surprised if the P/E ratio was not above average.

Remember: P/E Ratios Don't Consider The Balance Sheet

The 'Price' in P/E reflects the market capitalization of the company. Thus, the metric does not reflect cash or debt held by the company. 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).

Is Debt Impacting Geekay Wires's P/E?

Geekay Wires's net debt is considerable, at 195% of its market cap. If you want to compare its P/E ratio to other companies, you must keep in mind that these debt levels would usually warrant a relatively low P/E.

The Verdict On Geekay Wires's P/E Ratio

Geekay Wires's P/E is 11.7 which is below average (13.6) in the IN market. The company may have significant debt, but EPS growth was good last year. If the company can continue to grow earnings, then the current P/E may be unjustifiably low.

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. We don't have analyst forecasts, but you might want to assess this data-rich visualization of earnings, revenue and cash flow.

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.

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.