Prime Strategy Co., Ltd.'s (TSE:5250) 25% Cheaper Price Remains In Tune With Earnings

Prime Strategy Co., Ltd. (TSE:5250) shareholders that were waiting for something to happen have been dealt a blow with a 25% share price drop in the last month. Instead of being rewarded, shareholders who have already held through the last twelve months are now sitting on a 47% share price drop.

In spite of the heavy fall in price, Prime Strategy's price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 25.2x might still make it look like a strong sell right now compared to the market in Japan, where around half of the companies have P/E ratios below 14x and even P/E's below 9x are quite common. However, the P/E might be quite high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

For example, consider that Prime Strategy's financial performance has been poor lately as its earnings have been in decline. It might be that many expect the company to still outplay most other companies over the coming period, which has kept the P/E from collapsing. If not, then existing shareholders may be quite nervous about the viability of the share price.

Check out our latest analysis for Prime Strategy

Want the full picture on earnings, revenue and cash flow for the company? Then our free report on Prime Strategy will help you shine a light on its historical performance.

Is There Enough Growth For Prime Strategy?

Prime Strategy's P/E ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver very strong growth, and importantly, perform much better than the market.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 26% decrease to the company's bottom line. Even so, admirably EPS has lifted 424% in aggregate from three years ago, notwithstanding the last 12 months. Accordingly, while they would have preferred to keep the run going, shareholders would probably welcome the medium-term rates of earnings growth.

Comparing that to the market, which is only predicted to deliver 11% growth in the next 12 months, the company's momentum is stronger based on recent medium-term annualised earnings results.

In light of this, it's understandable that Prime Strategy'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 Key Takeaway

Prime Strategy's shares may have retreated, but its P/E is still flying high. Using the price-to-earnings ratio alone to determine if you should sell your stock isn't sensible, however it can be a practical guide to the company's future prospects.

As we suspected, our examination of Prime Strategy revealed its three-year earnings trends are contributing to its high P/E, given they look better than current market expectations. At this stage investors feel the potential for a deterioration in earnings isn't great enough to justify a lower P/E ratio. If recent medium-term earnings trends continue, it's hard to see the share price falling strongly in the near future under these circumstances.

You should always think about risks. Case in point, we've spotted 3 warning signs for Prime Strategy you should be aware of, and 1 of them doesn't sit too well with us.

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.