Przedsiebiorstwa Telekomunikacyjnego TELGAM S.A. (WSE:TLG) May Have Run Too Fast Too Soon With Recent 40% Price Plummet

Przedsiebiorstwa Telekomunikacyjnego TELGAM S.A. (WSE:TLG) shares have had a horrible month, losing 40% after a relatively good period beforehand. Instead of being rewarded, shareholders who have already held through the last twelve months are now sitting on a 44% share price drop.

Although its price has dipped substantially, Przedsiebiorstwa Telekomunikacyjnego TELGAM's price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 42.7x might still make it look like a strong sell right now compared to the market in Poland, where around half of the companies have P/E ratios below 12x and even P/E's below 7x are quite common. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/E at face value as there may be an explanation why it's so lofty.

Earnings have risen firmly for Przedsiebiorstwa Telekomunikacyjnego TELGAM recently, which is pleasing to see. One possibility is that the P/E is high because investors think this respectable earnings growth will be enough to outperform the broader market in the near future. If not, then existing shareholders may be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.

See our latest analysis for Przedsiebiorstwa Telekomunikacyjnego TELGAM

Although there are no analyst estimates available for Przedsiebiorstwa Telekomunikacyjnego TELGAM, take a look at this free data-rich visualisation to see how the company stacks up on earnings, revenue and cash flow.

How Is Przedsiebiorstwa Telekomunikacyjnego TELGAM's Growth Trending?

Przedsiebiorstwa Telekomunikacyjnego TELGAM'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 29% last year. Although, its longer-term performance hasn't been as strong with three-year EPS growth being relatively non-existent overall. Therefore, it's fair to say that earnings growth has been inconsistent recently for the company.

This is in contrast to the rest of the market, which is expected to grow by 13% over the next year, materially higher than the company's recent medium-term annualised growth rates.

With this information, we find it concerning that Przedsiebiorstwa Telekomunikacyjnego TELGAM is trading at a P/E higher than the market. Apparently many investors in the company are way more bullish than recent times would indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock at any price. Only the boldest would assume these prices are sustainable as a continuation of recent earnings trends is likely to weigh heavily on the share price eventually.

The Bottom Line On Przedsiebiorstwa Telekomunikacyjnego TELGAM's P/E

Przedsiebiorstwa Telekomunikacyjnego TELGAM'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.

We've established that Przedsiebiorstwa Telekomunikacyjnego TELGAM currently trades on a much higher than expected P/E since its recent three-year growth is lower than the wider market forecast. When we see weak earnings with slower than market growth, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, sending the high P/E lower. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve markedly, it's very challenging to accept these prices as being reasonable.

You should always think about risks. Case in point, we've spotted 4 warning signs for Przedsiebiorstwa Telekomunikacyjnego TELGAM you should be aware of, and 2 of them make us 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.