Do You Like Bénéteau S.A. (EPA:BEN) At This P/E Ratio?

This article is for investors who would like to improve their understanding of price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). We'll look at Bénéteau S.A.'s (EPA:BEN) P/E ratio and reflect on what it tells us about the company's share price. Bénéteau has a P/E ratio of 14.72, based on the last twelve months. In other words, at today's prices, investors are paying €14.72 for every €1 in prior year profit.

Check out our latest analysis for Bénéteau

How Do You Calculate A P/E Ratio?

The formula for price to earnings is:

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

Or for Bénéteau:

P/E of 14.72 = €10.9 ÷ €0.74 (Based on the trailing twelve months to August 2018.)

Is A High Price-to-Earnings Ratio Good?

A higher P/E ratio implies that investors pay a higher price for the earning power of the business. That isn't a good or a bad thing on its own, but a high P/E means that buyers have a higher opinion of the business's prospects, relative to stocks with a lower P/E.

How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

P/E ratios primarily reflect market expectations around earnings growth rates. That's because companies that grow earnings per share quickly will rapidly increase the 'E' in the equation. That means unless the share price increases, the P/E will reduce in a few years. So while a stock may look expensive based on past earnings, it could be cheap based on future earnings.

Bénéteau's earnings per share grew by -2.7% in the last twelve months. And it has bolstered its earnings per share by 54% per year over the last five years.

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

The P/E ratio indicates whether the market has higher or lower expectations of a company. The image below shows that Bénéteau has a lower P/E than the average (19.2) P/E for companies in the leisure industry.

Bénéteau's P/E tells us that market participants think it will not fare as well as its peers in the same industry. While current expectations are low, the stock could be undervalued if the situation is better than the market assumes. If you consider the stock interesting, further research is recommended. For example, I often monitor director buying and selling.

A Limitation: P/E Ratios Ignore Debt and Cash In The Bank

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. Theoretically, a business can improve its earnings (and produce a lower P/E in the future), by taking on debt (or spending its remaining cash).

Such spending might be good or bad, overall, but the key point here is that you need to look at debt to understand the P/E ratio in context.

How Does Bénéteau's Debt Impact Its P/E Ratio?

Since Bénéteau holds net cash of €162m, it can spend on growth, justifying a higher P/E ratio than otherwise.

The Verdict On Bénéteau's P/E Ratio

Bénéteau trades on a P/E ratio of 14.7, which is fairly close to the FR market average of 15.8. Earnings improved over the last year. Also positive, the relatively strong balance sheet will allow for investment in growth. If this occurs the current P/E might prove to signify undervaluation.

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 be able to find a better stock than Bénéteau. So you may wish to see this freecollection of other companies that have grown earnings strongly.

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.