Investor Optimism Abounds Narayana Hrudayalaya Limited (NSE:NH) But Growth Is Lacking

Narayana Hrudayalaya Limited's (NSE:NH) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 32.2x 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 28x and even P/E's below 15x are quite common. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/E at face value as there may be an explanation why it's as high as it is.

Recent times have been advantageous for Narayana Hrudayalaya as its earnings have been rising faster than most other companies. It seems that many are expecting the strong earnings performance to persist, which has raised the P/E. If not, then existing shareholders might be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.

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Does Growth Match The High P/E?

In order to justify its P/E ratio, Narayana Hrudayalaya would need to produce impressive growth in excess of the market.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew earnings per share by an impressive 54% last year. Although, its longer-term performance hasn't been as strong with three-year EPS growth being relatively non-existent overall. Therefore, it's fair to say that earnings growth has been inconsistent recently for the company.

Looking ahead now, EPS is anticipated to climb by 11% each year during the coming three years according to the nine analysts following the company. That's shaping up to be materially lower than the 20% each year growth forecast for the broader market.

In light of this, it's alarming that Narayana Hrudayalaya's P/E sits above the majority of other companies. It seems most investors are hoping for a turnaround in the company's business prospects, but the analyst cohort is not so confident this will happen. Only the boldest would assume these prices are sustainable as this level of earnings growth is likely to weigh heavily on the share price eventually.

The Final Word

Generally, our preference is to limit the use of the price-to-earnings ratio to establishing what the market thinks about the overall health of a company.

We've established that Narayana Hrudayalaya currently trades on a much 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 high P/E lower. Unless these conditions improve markedly, it's very challenging to accept these prices as being reasonable.

A lot of potential risks can sit within a company's balance sheet. Take a look at our free balance sheet analysis for Narayana Hrudayalaya with six simple checks on some of these key factors.

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.