Getting In Cheap On Emmi AG (VTX:EMMN) Is Unlikely

It's not a stretch to say that Emmi AG's (VTX:EMMN) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 18.1x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" compared to the market in Switzerland, where the median P/E ratio is around 19x. Although, it's not wise to simply ignore the P/E without explanation as investors may be disregarding a distinct opportunity or a costly mistake.

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With earnings growth that's superior to most other companies of late, Emmi has been doing relatively well. It might be that many expect the strong earnings performance to wane, which has kept the P/E from rising. If not, then existing shareholders have reason to be feeling optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

See our latest analysis for Emmi

Want the full picture on analyst estimates for the company? Then our free report on Emmi will help you uncover what's on the horizon.

How Is Emmi's Growth Trending?

There's an inherent assumption that a company should be matching the market for P/E ratios like Emmi's to be considered reasonable.

If we review the last year of earnings growth, the company posted a worthy increase of 11%. The solid recent performance means it was also able to grow EPS by 8.6% in total over the last three years. So we can start by confirming that the company has actually done a good job of growing earnings over that time.

Looking ahead now, EPS is anticipated to climb by 6.9% per year during the coming three years according to the five analysts following the company. With the market predicted to deliver 12% growth each year, the company is positioned for a weaker earnings result.

With this information, we find it interesting that Emmi is trading at a fairly similar P/E to the market. Apparently many investors in the company are less bearish than analysts indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock right now. Maintaining these prices will be difficult to achieve as this level of earnings growth is likely to weigh down the shares eventually.

The Key Takeaway

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.

Our examination of Emmi's analyst forecasts revealed that its inferior earnings outlook isn't impacting its P/E as much as we would have predicted. When we see a weak earnings outlook with slower than market growth, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, sending the moderate P/E lower. 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 - Emmi has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of.

It's important to make sure you look for a great company, not just the first idea you come across. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and a low P/E).

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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.