Paramount Communications Limited (NSE:PARACABLES) Looks Just Right With A 27% Price Jump

Paramount Communications Limited (NSE:PARACABLES) shareholders would be excited to see that the share price has had a great month, posting a 27% gain and recovering from prior weakness. The annual gain comes to 191% following the latest surge, making investors sit up and take notice.

Since its price has surged higher, Paramount Communications' price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 35.4x 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 29x and even P/E's below 16x are quite common. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the elevated P/E.

Paramount Communications certainly has been doing a great job lately as it's been growing earnings at a really rapid pace. The P/E is probably high because investors think this strong earnings growth will be enough to outperform the broader market in the near future. If not, then existing shareholders might be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.

See our latest analysis for Paramount Communications

Want the full picture on earnings, revenue and cash flow for the company? Then our free report on Paramount Communications will help you shine a light on its historical performance.

What Are Growth Metrics Telling Us About The High P/E?

There's an inherent assumption that a company should outperform the market for P/E ratios like Paramount Communications' to be considered reasonable.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew earnings per share by an impressive 108% last year. The strong recent performance means it was also able to grow EPS by 248% in total over the last three years. So we can start by confirming that the company has done a great job of growing earnings over that time.

Comparing that to the market, which is only predicted to deliver 26% growth in the next 12 months, the company's momentum is stronger based on recent medium-term annualised earnings results.

With this information, we can see why Paramount Communications is trading at such a high P/E compared to the market. It seems most investors are expecting this strong growth to continue and are willing to pay more for the stock.

The Key Takeaway

The large bounce in Paramount Communications' shares has lifted the company's P/E to a fairly high level. Using the price-to-earnings ratio alone to determine if you should sell your stock isn't sensible, however it can be a practical guide to the company's future prospects.

As we suspected, our examination of Paramount Communications revealed its three-year earnings trends are contributing to its high P/E, given they look better than current market expectations. Right now shareholders are comfortable with the P/E as they are quite confident earnings aren't under threat. If recent medium-term earnings trends continue, it's hard to see the share price falling strongly in the near future under these circumstances.

Plus, you should also learn about these 2 warning signs we've spotted with Paramount Communications (including 1 which shouldn't be ignored).

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.