Some Confidence Is Lacking In Isgec Heavy Engineering Limited's (NSE:ISGEC) P/E

Isgec Heavy Engineering Limited's (NSE:ISGEC) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 38.8x might make it look like a sell right now compared to the market in India, where around half of the companies have P/E ratios below 33x and even P/E's below 19x are quite common. However, the P/E might be high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

The earnings growth achieved at Isgec Heavy Engineering over the last year would be more than acceptable for most companies. It might be that many expect the respectable earnings performance to beat most other companies over the coming period, which has increased investors’ willingness to pay up for the stock. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.

See our latest analysis for Isgec Heavy Engineering

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

How Is Isgec Heavy Engineering's Growth Trending?

Isgec Heavy Engineering's P/E ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver solid growth, and importantly, perform better than the market.

If we review the last year of earnings growth, the company posted a worthy increase of 13%. EPS has also lifted 17% in aggregate from three years ago, partly thanks to the last 12 months of growth. Accordingly, shareholders would have probably been satisfied with the medium-term rates of earnings growth.

This is in contrast to the rest of the market, which is expected to grow by 26% over the next year, materially higher than the company's recent medium-term annualised growth rates.

In light of this, it's alarming that Isgec Heavy Engineering's P/E sits above the majority of other companies. It seems most investors are ignoring the fairly limited recent growth rates and are hoping for a turnaround in the company's business prospects. There's a good chance existing shareholders are setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/E falls to levels more in line with recent growth rates.

The Bottom Line On Isgec Heavy Engineering's P/E

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.

Our examination of Isgec Heavy Engineering revealed its three-year earnings trends aren't impacting its high P/E anywhere near as much as we would have predicted, given they look worse than current market expectations. When we see weak earnings with slower than market growth, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, sending the high P/E lower. If recent medium-term earnings trends continue, it will place shareholders' investments at significant risk and potential investors in danger of paying an excessive premium.

It is also worth noting that we have found 1 warning sign for Isgec Heavy Engineering that you need to take into consideration.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with a strong growth track record, trading on a low P/E.

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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.