Why Investors Shouldn't Be Surprised By Ashland Global Holdings Inc.'s (NYSE:ASH) P/E

Simply Wall St
·3 min read

When close to half the companies in the United States have price-to-earnings ratios (or "P/E's") below 14x, you may consider Ashland Global Holdings Inc. (NYSE:ASH) as a stock to avoid entirely with its 32.1x P/E ratio. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the highly elevated P/E.

Ashland Global Holdings certainly has been doing a good job lately as it's been growing earnings more than most other companies. It seems that many are expecting the strong earnings performance to persist, which has raised the P/E. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.

See our latest analysis for Ashland Global Holdings

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Keen to find out how analysts think Ashland Global Holdings' future stacks up against the industry? In that case, our free report is a great place to start.

Is There Enough Growth For Ashland Global Holdings?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/E as steep as Ashland Global Holdings' is when the company's growth is on track to outshine the market decidedly.

If we review the last year of earnings growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 241%. However, the latest three year period hasn't been as great in aggregate as it didn't manage to provide any growth at all. Therefore, it's fair to say that earnings growth has been inconsistent recently for the company.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the nine analysts covering the company suggest earnings should grow by 237% over the next year. With the market only predicted to deliver 10%, the company is positioned for a stronger earnings result.

In light of this, it's understandable that Ashland Global Holdings' P/E sits above the majority of other companies. It seems most investors are expecting this strong future growth and are willing to pay more for the stock.

The Bottom Line On Ashland Global Holdings' P/E

Using the price-to-earnings ratio alone to determine if you should sell your stock isn't sensible, however it can be a practical guide to the company's future prospects.

We've established that Ashland Global Holdings maintains its high P/E on the strength of its forecast growth being higher than the wider market, as expected. Right now shareholders are comfortable with the P/E as they are quite confident future earnings aren't under threat. Unless these conditions change, they will continue to provide strong support to the share price.

Before you take the next step, you should know about the 1 warning sign for Ashland Global Holdings that we have uncovered.

If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on Ashland Global Holdings, explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. 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.