Ceres Inc.'s (TSE:3696) 28% Dip Still Leaving Some Shareholders Feeling Restless Over Its P/ERatio

To the annoyance of some shareholders, Ceres Inc. (TSE:3696) shares are down a considerable 28% in the last month, which continues a horrid run for the company. To make matters worse, the recent drop has wiped out a year's worth of gains with the share price now back where it started a year ago.

Although its price has dipped substantially, there still wouldn't be many who think Ceres' price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 14.1x is worth a mention when the median P/E in Japan is similar at about 12x. Although, it's not wise to simply ignore the P/E without explanation as investors may be disregarding a distinct opportunity or a costly mistake.

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With earnings growth that's exceedingly strong of late, Ceres has been doing very well. The P/E is probably moderate because investors think this strong earnings growth might not be enough to outperform the broader market in the near future. If you like the company, you'd be hoping this isn't the case so that you could potentially pick up some stock while it's not quite in favour.

View our latest analysis for Ceres

We don't have analyst forecasts, but you can see how recent trends are setting up the company for the future by checking out our free report on Ceres' earnings, revenue and cash flow.

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

In order to justify its P/E ratio, Ceres would need to produce growth that's similar to the market.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew earnings per share by an impressive 226% last year. Still, incredibly EPS has fallen 49% in total from three years ago, which is quite disappointing. Accordingly, shareholders would have felt downbeat about the medium-term rates of earnings growth.

Comparing that to the market, which is predicted to deliver 10% growth in the next 12 months, the company's downward momentum based on recent medium-term earnings results is a sobering picture.

In light of this, it's somewhat alarming that Ceres' P/E sits in line with the majority of other companies. Apparently many investors in the company are way less bearish than recent times would indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock right now. There's a good chance existing shareholders are setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/E falls to levels more in line with the recent negative growth rates.

The Final Word

With its share price falling into a hole, the P/E for Ceres looks quite average now. Typically, we'd caution against reading too much into price-to-earnings ratios when settling on investment decisions, though it can reveal plenty about what other market participants think about the company.

Our examination of Ceres revealed its shrinking earnings over the medium-term aren't impacting its P/E as much as we would have predicted, given the market is set to grow. Right now we are uncomfortable with the P/E as this earnings performance is unlikely to support a more positive sentiment for long. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve, it's challenging to accept these prices as being reasonable.

Before you take the next step, you should know about the 3 warning signs for Ceres (2 can't be ignored!) that we have uncovered.

Of course, you might also be able to find a better stock than Ceres. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have reasonable P/E ratios and have grown earnings strongly.

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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.