Torrent Power Limited (NSE:TORNTPOWER) Looks Inexpensive But Perhaps Not Attractive Enough

Torrent Power Limited's (NSE:TORNTPOWER) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 22.4x might make it look like a buy right now compared to the market in India, where around half of the companies have P/E ratios above 31x and even P/E's above 58x 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 limited.

Recent times have been advantageous for Torrent Power as its earnings have been rising faster than most other companies. One possibility is that the P/E is low because investors think this strong earnings performance might be less impressive moving forward. If not, then existing shareholders have reason to be quite optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

See our latest analysis for Torrent Power

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

Is There Any Growth For Torrent Power?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/E as low as Torrent Power's is when the company's growth is on track to lag the market.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew earnings per share by an impressive 152% last year. The strong recent performance means it was also able to grow EPS by 203% in total over the last three years. Accordingly, shareholders would have probably welcomed those medium-term rates of earnings growth.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the nine analysts covering the company suggest earnings should grow by 8.2% per annum over the next three years. Meanwhile, the rest of the market is forecast to expand by 19% per annum, which is noticeably more attractive.

In light of this, it's understandable that Torrent Power's P/E sits below the majority of other companies. It seems most investors are expecting to see limited future growth and are only willing to pay a reduced amount for the stock.

The Bottom Line On Torrent Power's P/E

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 Torrent Power's analyst forecasts revealed that its inferior earnings outlook is contributing to its low P/E. Right now shareholders are accepting the low P/E as they concede future earnings probably won't provide any pleasant surprises. It's hard to see the share price rising strongly in the near future under these circumstances.

It is also worth noting that we have found 2 warning signs for Torrent Power 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.