Optimistic Investors Push Llorente & Cuenca, S.A. (BME:LLYC) Shares Up 26% But Growth Is Lacking

Llorente & Cuenca, S.A. (BME:LLYC) shares have had a really impressive month, gaining 26% after a shaky period beforehand. While recent buyers may be laughing, long-term holders might not be as pleased since the recent gain only brings the stock back to where it started a year ago.

Following the firm bounce in price, given close to half the companies in Spain have price-to-earnings ratios (or "P/E's") below 22x, you may consider Llorente & Cuenca as a stock to avoid entirely with its 69.2x P/E ratio. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/E at face value as there may be an explanation why it's so lofty.

As an illustration, earnings have deteriorated at Llorente & Cuenca over the last year, which is not ideal at all. One possibility is that the P/E is high because investors think the company will still do enough to outperform the broader market in the near future. If not, then existing shareholders may be quite nervous about the viability of the share price.

See our latest analysis for Llorente & Cuenca

Although there are no analyst estimates available for Llorente & Cuenca, take a look at this free data-rich visualisation to see how the company stacks up on earnings, revenue and cash flow.

How Is Llorente & Cuenca's Growth Trending?

In order to justify its P/E ratio, Llorente & Cuenca would need to produce outstanding growth well in excess of the market.

Taking a look back first, the company's earnings per share growth last year wasn't something to get excited about as it posted a disappointing decline of 29%. As a result, earnings from three years ago have also fallen 95% overall. Therefore, it's fair to say the earnings growth recently has been undesirable for the company.

Weighing that medium-term earnings trajectory against the broader market's one-year forecast for expansion of 26% shows it's an unpleasant look.

With this information, we find it concerning that Llorente & Cuenca is trading at a P/E higher than the market. Apparently many investors in the company are way more bullish than recent times would indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock at any price. Only the boldest would assume these prices are sustainable as a continuation of recent earnings trends is likely to weigh heavily on the share price eventually.

The Bottom Line On Llorente & Cuenca's P/E

Llorente & Cuenca's P/E is flying high just like its stock has during the last month. It's argued the price-to-earnings ratio is an inferior measure of value within certain industries, but it can be a powerful business sentiment indicator.

We've established that Llorente & Cuenca currently trades on a much higher than expected P/E since its recent earnings have been in decline over the medium-term. When we see earnings heading backwards and underperforming the market forecasts, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, sending the high P/E lower. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve markedly, it's very challenging to accept these prices as being reasonable.

Many other vital risk factors can be found on the company's balance sheet. Our free balance sheet analysis for Llorente & Cuenca with six simple checks will allow you to discover any risks that could be an issue.

If you're unsure about the strength of Llorente & Cuenca's business, why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals for some other companies you may have missed.

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.

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