Investor Optimism Abounds DTS Corporation (TSE:9682) But Growth Is Lacking

When close to half the companies in Japan have price-to-earnings ratios (or "P/E's") below 14x, you may consider DTS Corporation (TSE:9682) as a stock to potentially avoid with its 20.3x P/E ratio. However, the P/E might be high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

There hasn't been much to differentiate DTS' and the market's earnings growth lately. It might be that many expect the mediocre earnings performance to strengthen positively, which has kept the P/E from falling. If not, then existing shareholders may be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.

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Is There Enough Growth For DTS?

DTS' P/E ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver solid growth, and importantly, perform better than the market.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company managed to grow earnings per share by a handy 13% last year. The latest three year period has also seen a 26% overall rise in EPS, aided somewhat by its short-term performance. Accordingly, shareholders would have probably been satisfied with the medium-term rates of earnings growth.

Looking ahead now, EPS is anticipated to climb by 8.9% per annum during the coming three years according to the two analysts following the company. Meanwhile, the rest of the market is forecast to expand by 9.6% per year, which is not materially different.

With this information, we find it interesting that DTS is trading at a high P/E compared to the market. Apparently many investors in the company are more bullish than analysts indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock right now. These shareholders may be setting themselves up for disappointment if the P/E falls to levels more in line with the growth outlook.

The Final Word

It's argued the price-to-earnings ratio is an inferior measure of value within certain industries, but it can be a powerful business sentiment indicator.

Our examination of DTS' analyst forecasts revealed that its market-matching earnings outlook isn't impacting its high P/E as much as we would have predicted. When we see an average earnings outlook with market-like growth, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, sending the high P/E lower. This places shareholders' investments at risk and potential investors in danger of paying an unnecessary premium.

There are also other vital risk factors to consider before investing and we've discovered 1 warning sign for DTS that you should be aware of.

If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on DTS, explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there.

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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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com