Do You Know What Talanx Aktiengesellschaft's (ETR:TLX) P/E Ratio Means?

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This article is written for those who want to get better at using price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). To keep it practical, we'll show how Talanx Aktiengesellschaft's (ETR:TLX) P/E ratio could help you assess the value on offer. Looking at earnings over the last twelve months, Talanx has a P/E ratio of 12.75. That corresponds to an earnings yield of approximately 7.8%.

View our latest analysis for Talanx

How Do I Calculate A Price To Earnings Ratio?

The formula for price to earnings is:

Price to Earnings Ratio = Price per Share ÷ Earnings per Share (EPS)

Or for Talanx:

P/E of 12.75 = €35.46 ÷ €2.78 (Based on the year to December 2018.)

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.

How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

When earnings fall, the 'E' decreases, over time. That means unless the share price falls, the P/E will increase in a few years. So while a stock may look cheap based on past earnings, it could be expensive based on future earnings.

Talanx saw earnings per share improve by -4.8% last year. Unfortunately, earnings per share are down 1.4% a year, over 3 years.

How Does Talanx's P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers?

We can get an indication of market expectations by looking at the P/E ratio. The image below shows that Talanx has a P/E ratio that is roughly in line with the insurance industry average (13.2).

Talanx's P/E tells us that market participants think its prospects are roughly in line with its industry. The company could surprise by performing better than average, in the future. Further research into factors such asmanagement tenure, could help you form your own view on whether that is likely.

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).

Talanx's Balance Sheet

The extra options and safety that comes with Talanx's €262m net cash position means that it deserves a higher P/E than it would if it had a lot of net debt.

The Verdict On Talanx's P/E Ratio

Talanx trades on a P/E ratio of 12.8, which is below the DE market average of 20.4. Earnings improved over the last year. Also positive, the relatively strong balance sheet will allow for investment in growth. In contrast, the P/E indicates shareholders doubt that will happen! Since analysts are predicting growth will continue, one might expect to see a higher P/E so it may be worth looking closer.

When the market is wrong about a stock, it gives savvy investors an opportunity. If it is underestimating a company, investors can make money by buying and holding the shares until the market corrects itself. So this freevisual report on analyst forecasts could hold the key to an excellent investment decision.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this freelist 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.