Read This Before You Buy Arvind SmartSpaces Limited (NSE:ARVSMART) Because Of Its P/E Ratio

Today, we'll introduce the concept of the P/E ratio for those who are learning about investing. We'll look at Arvind SmartSpaces Limited's (NSE:ARVSMART) P/E ratio and reflect on what it tells us about the company's share price. Arvind SmartSpaces has a P/E ratio of 5.29, based on the last twelve months. That corresponds to an earnings yield of approximately 18.9%.

Check out our latest analysis for Arvind SmartSpaces

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 Arvind SmartSpaces:

P/E of 5.29 = ₹63.000 ÷ ₹11.904 (Based on the year to December 2019.)

(Note: the above calculation results may not be precise due to rounding.)

Is A High P/E Ratio Good?

The higher the P/E ratio, the higher the price tag of a business, relative to its trailing earnings. 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 Arvind SmartSpaces 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 Arvind SmartSpaces has a lower P/E than the average (10.4) P/E for companies in the real estate industry.

This suggests that market participants think Arvind SmartSpaces will underperform other companies in its industry. Many investors like to buy stocks when the market is pessimistic about their prospects. 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. Earnings growth means that in the future the 'E' will be higher. 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.

It's nice to see that Arvind SmartSpaces grew EPS by a stonking 36% in the last year. And earnings per share have improved by 2.4% annually, over the last five years. I'd therefore be a little surprised if its P/E ratio was not relatively high.

Don't Forget: The P/E Does Not Account For Debt or Bank Deposits

The 'Price' in P/E reflects the market capitalization of the company. In other words, it does not consider any debt or cash that the company may have on the balance sheet. The exact same company would hypothetically deserve a higher P/E ratio if it had a strong balance sheet, than if it had a weak one with lots of debt, because a cashed up company can spend on growth.

While growth expenditure doesn't always pay off, the point is that it is a good option to have; but one that the P/E ratio ignores.

So What Does Arvind SmartSpaces's Balance Sheet Tell Us?

Arvind SmartSpaces has net debt worth 77% of its market capitalization. This is a reasonably significant level of debt -- all else being equal you'd expect a much lower P/E than if it had net cash.

The Verdict On Arvind SmartSpaces's P/E Ratio

Arvind SmartSpaces has a P/E of 5.3. That's below the average in the IN market, which is 10.4. The company may have significant debt, but EPS growth was good last year. If it continues to grow, then the current low P/E may prove to be unjustified.

Investors have an opportunity when market expectations about a stock are wrong. 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 visualization of the analyst consensus on future earnings could help you make the right decision about whether to buy, sell, or hold.

Of course you might be able to find a better stock than Arvind SmartSpaces. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have grown earnings strongly.

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.