When close to half the companies in Japan have price-to-earnings ratios (or "P/E's") below 14x, you may consider IRRC Corporation (TSE:7325) as a stock to potentially avoid with its 16.6x P/E ratio. 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.
IRRC certainly has been doing a good job lately as it's been growing earnings more 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.
Check out our latest analysis for IRRC
Is There Enough Growth For IRRC?
In order to justify its P/E ratio, IRRC would need to produce impressive growth in excess of the market.
Retrospectively, the last year delivered an exceptional 83% gain to the company's bottom line. Pleasingly, EPS has also lifted 84% in aggregate from three years ago, thanks to the last 12 months of growth. So we can start by confirming that the company has done a great job of growing earnings over that time.
Looking ahead now, EPS is anticipated to climb by 25% per annum during the coming three years according to the lone analyst following the company. Meanwhile, the rest of the market is forecast to only expand by 10% per annum, which is noticeably less attractive.
In light of this, it's understandable that IRRC's P/E sits above the majority of other companies. It seems most investors are expecting this strong future growth and are willing to pay more for the stock.
The Final Word
While the price-to-earnings ratio shouldn't be the defining factor in whether you buy a stock or not, it's quite a capable barometer of earnings expectations.
As we suspected, our examination of IRRC's analyst forecasts revealed that its superior earnings outlook is contributing to its high P/E. Right now shareholders are comfortable with the P/E as they are quite confident future earnings aren't under threat. Unless these conditions change, they will continue to provide strong support to the share price.
And what about other risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for IRRC you should know about.
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.
Valuation is complex, but we're here to simplify it.
Discover if IRRC might be undervalued or overvalued with our detailed analysis, featuring fair value estimates, potential risks, dividends, insider trades, and its financial condition.
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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.