Hercules Plc (LON:HERC) Looks Just Right With A 26% Price Jump

Hercules Plc (LON:HERC) shareholders have had their patience rewarded with a 26% share price jump in the last month. Taking a wider view, although not as strong as the last month, the full year gain of 19% is also fairly reasonable.

Following the firm bounce in price, given around half the companies in the United Kingdom have price-to-earnings ratios (or "P/E's") below 15x, you may consider Hercules as a stock to potentially avoid with its 21.1x P/E ratio. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the elevated P/E.

We've found 21 US stocks that are forecast to pay a dividend yield of over 6% next year. See the full list for free.

Hercules could be doing better as its earnings have been going backwards lately while most other companies have been seeing positive earnings growth. One possibility is that the P/E is high because investors think this poor earnings performance will turn the corner. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.

See our latest analysis for Hercules

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

Is There Enough Growth For Hercules?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/E as high as Hercules' is when the company's growth is on track to outshine the market.

If we review the last year of earnings, dishearteningly the company's profits fell to the tune of 33%. Unfortunately, that's brought it right back to where it started three years ago with EPS growth being virtually non-existent overall during that time. Therefore, it's fair to say that earnings growth has been inconsistent recently for the company.

Turning to the outlook, the next year should generate growth of 73% as estimated by the one analyst watching the company. With the market only predicted to deliver 19%, the company is positioned for a stronger earnings result.

In light of this, it's understandable that Hercules' P/E sits above the majority of other companies. It seems most investors are expecting this strong future growth and are willing to pay more for the stock.

The Bottom Line On Hercules' P/E

Hercules' P/E is getting right up there since its shares have risen strongly. Typically, we'd caution against reading too much into price-to-earnings ratios when settling on investment decisions, though it can reveal plenty about what other market participants think about the company.

As we suspected, our examination of Hercules' analyst forecasts revealed that its superior earnings outlook is contributing to its high P/E. At this stage investors feel the potential for a deterioration in earnings isn't great enough to justify a lower P/E ratio. Unless these conditions change, they will continue to provide strong support to the share price.

You should always think about risks. Case in point, we've spotted 3 warning signs for Hercules you should be aware of.

You might be able to find a better investment than Hercules. If you want a selection of possible candidates, check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a low P/E (but have proven they can grow earnings).

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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.