What You Can Learn From Sigma Solve Limited's (NSE:SIGMA) P/E

Sigma Solve Limited's (NSE:SIGMA) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 33.7x 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. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the elevated P/E.

With earnings growth that's exceedingly strong of late, Sigma Solve has been doing very well. 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. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.

View our latest analysis for Sigma Solve

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

Does Growth Match The High P/E?

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

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew earnings per share by an impressive 39% last year. The strong recent performance means it was also able to grow EPS by 257% in total over the last three years. Accordingly, shareholders would have probably welcomed those medium-term rates of earnings growth.

Weighing that recent medium-term earnings trajectory against the broader market's one-year forecast for expansion of 24% shows it's noticeably more attractive on an annualised basis.

In light of this, it's understandable that Sigma Solve's P/E sits above the majority of other companies. Presumably shareholders aren't keen to offload something they believe will continue to outmanoeuvre the bourse.

The Final Word

We'd say the price-to-earnings ratio's power isn't primarily as a valuation instrument but rather to gauge current investor sentiment and future expectations.

As we suspected, our examination of Sigma Solve 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. Unless the recent medium-term conditions change, they will continue to provide strong support to the share price.

Before you take the next step, you should know about the 1 warning sign for Sigma Solve that we have uncovered.

If you're unsure about the strength of Sigma Solve's business, why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals for some other companies you may have missed.

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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.