Investors Appear Satisfied With AuMas Resources Berhad's (KLSE:AUMAS) Prospects As Shares Rocket 32%
Those holding AuMas Resources Berhad (KLSE:AUMAS) shares would be relieved that the share price has rebounded 32% in the last thirty days, but it needs to keep going to repair the recent damage it has caused to investor portfolios. Looking back a bit further, it's encouraging to see the stock is up 30% in the last year.
Since its price has surged higher, given close to half the companies in Malaysia have price-to-earnings ratios (or "P/E's") below 13x, you may consider AuMas Resources Berhad as a stock to avoid entirely with its 37.5x P/E ratio. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the highly elevated P/E.
AuMas Resources Berhad certainly has been doing a great job lately as it's been growing earnings at a really rapid pace. It seems that many are expecting the strong earnings performance to beat most other companies over the coming period, which has increased investors’ willingness to pay up for the stock. If not, then existing shareholders might be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.
Check out our latest analysis for AuMas Resources Berhad
What Are Growth Metrics Telling Us About The High P/E?
AuMas Resources Berhad'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.
Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew earnings per share by an impressive 272% last year. The latest three year period has also seen an excellent 198% overall rise in EPS, aided by its short-term performance. Therefore, it's fair to say the earnings growth recently has been superb for the company.
Weighing that recent medium-term earnings trajectory against the broader market's one-year forecast for expansion of 16% shows it's noticeably more attractive on an annualised basis.
With this information, we can see why AuMas Resources Berhad is trading at such a high P/E compared to the market. It seems most investors are expecting this strong growth to continue and are willing to pay more for the stock.
The Bottom Line On AuMas Resources Berhad's P/E
AuMas Resources Berhad's P/E is flying high just like its stock has during the last month. 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.
We've established that AuMas Resources Berhad maintains its high P/E on the strength of its recent three-year growth being higher than the wider market forecast, as expected. At this stage investors feel the potential for a deterioration in earnings isn't great enough to justify a lower P/E ratio. Unless the recent medium-term conditions change, they will continue to provide strong support to the share price.
Having said that, be aware AuMas Resources Berhad is showing 2 warning signs in our investment analysis, and 1 of those makes us a bit uncomfortable.
If P/E ratios interest you, you may wish to see this free collection of other companies with strong earnings growth and low P/E ratios.
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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.