Impax Asset Management Group Plc's (LON:IPX) Popularity With Investors Is Under Threat From Overpricing

There wouldn't be many who think Impax Asset Management Group Plc's (LON:IPX) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 16.4x is worth a mention when the median P/E in the United Kingdom is similar at about 17x. While this might not raise any eyebrows, if the P/E ratio is not justified investors could be missing out on a potential opportunity or ignoring looming disappointment.

Impax Asset Management Group has been struggling lately as its earnings have declined faster than most other companies. One possibility is that the P/E is moderate because investors think the company's earnings trend will eventually fall in line with most others in the market. If you still like the company, you'd want its earnings trajectory to turn around before making any decisions. If not, then existing shareholders may be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.

See our latest analysis for Impax Asset Management Group

Keen to find out how analysts think Impax Asset Management Group's future stacks up against the industry? In that case, our free report is a great place to start.

Is There Some Growth For Impax Asset Management Group?

Impax Asset Management Group's P/E ratio would be typical for a company that's only expected to deliver moderate growth, and importantly, perform in line with 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 34%. Still, the latest three year period has seen an excellent 188% overall rise in EPS, in spite of its unsatisfying short-term performance. Although it's been a bumpy ride, it's still fair to say the earnings growth recently has been more than adequate for the company.

Turning to the outlook, the next three years should generate growth of 10% per annum as estimated by the five analysts watching the company. With the market predicted to deliver 15% growth per year, the company is positioned for a weaker earnings result.

With this information, we find it interesting that Impax Asset Management Group is trading at a fairly similar P/E to the market. It seems most investors are ignoring the fairly limited growth expectations and are willing to pay up for exposure to the stock. Maintaining these prices will be difficult to achieve as this level of earnings growth is likely to weigh down the shares eventually.

The Key Takeaway

While the price-to-earnings ratio shouldn't be the defining factor in whether you buy a stock or not, it's quite a capable barometer of earnings expectations.

We've established that Impax Asset Management Group currently trades on a higher than expected P/E since its forecast growth is lower than the wider market. When we see a weak earnings outlook with slower than market growth, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, sending the moderate P/E lower. This places shareholders' investments at risk and potential investors in danger of paying an unnecessary premium.

We don't want to rain on the parade too much, but we did also find 2 warning signs for Impax Asset Management Group (1 shouldn't be ignored!) that you need to be mindful of.

Of course, you might also be able to find a better stock than Impax Asset Management Group. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have reasonable P/E ratios and have grown earnings strongly.

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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.