To the annoyance of some shareholders, Groupe CIOA (EPA:MLCIO) shares are down a considerable 46% in the last month. That drop has capped off a tough year for shareholders, with the share price down 58% in that time.
All else being equal, a share price drop should make a stock more attractive to potential investors. In the long term, share prices tend to follow earnings per share, but in the short term prices bounce around in response to short term factors (which are not always obvious). The implication here is that long term investors have an opportunity when expectations of a company are too low. One way to gauge market expectations of a stock is to look at its Price to Earnings Ratio (PE Ratio). Investors have optimistic expectations of companies with higher P/E ratios, compared to companies with lower P/E ratios.
View our latest analysis for Groupe CIOA
Does Groupe CIOA Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry?
Groupe CIOA’s P/E of 4.47 indicates relatively low sentiment towards the stock. If you look at the image below, you can see Groupe CIOA has a lower P/E than the average (17.2) in the professional services industry classification.
This suggests that market participants think Groupe CIOA will underperform other companies in its industry.
How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios
Generally speaking the rate of earnings growth has a profound impact on a company’s P/E multiple. When earnings grow, the ‘E’ increases, over time. That means even if the current P/E is high, it will reduce over time if the share price stays flat. Then, a lower P/E should attract more buyers, pushing the share price up.
Notably, Groupe CIOA grew EPS by a whopping 50% in the last year.
A Limitation: P/E Ratios Ignore Debt and Cash In The Bank
One drawback of using a P/E ratio is that it considers market capitalization, but not the balance sheet. That means it doesn’t take debt or cash into account. Hypothetically, a company could reduce its future P/E ratio by spending its cash (or taking on debt) to achieve higher earnings.
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.
Groupe CIOA’s Balance Sheet
With net cash of €597k, Groupe CIOA has a very strong balance sheet, which may be important for its business. Having said that, at 10% of its market capitalization the cash hoard would contribute towards a higher P/E ratio.
The Verdict On Groupe CIOA’s P/E Ratio
Groupe CIOA trades on a P/E ratio of 4.5, which is below the FR market average of 16.8. The net cash position gives plenty of options to the business, and the recent improvement in EPS is good to see. One might conclude that the market is a bit pessimistic, given the low P/E ratio. Given Groupe CIOA’s P/E ratio has declined from 8.2 to 4.5 in the last month, we know for sure that the market is more worried about the business today, than it was back then. For those who prefer to invest with the flow of momentum, that might be a bad sign, but for deep value investors this stock might justify some research.
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. We don’t have analyst forecasts, but shareholders might want to examine this detailed historical graph of earnings, revenue and cash flow.
You might be able to find a better buy than Groupe CIOA. If you want a selection of possible winners, check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a P/E below 20 (but have proven they can grow earnings).
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.