Risks To Shareholder Returns Are Elevated At These Prices For Industries Qatar Q.P.S.C. (DSM:IQCD)

Industries Qatar Q.P.S.C.'s (DSM:IQCD) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 18.4x might make it look like a strong sell right now compared to the market in Qatar, where around half of the companies have P/E ratios below 12x and even P/E's below 10x 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.

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Industries Qatar Q.P.S.C could be doing better as its earnings have been going backwards lately while most other companies have been seeing positive earnings growth. It might be that many expect the dour earnings performance to recover substantially, which has kept the P/E from collapsing. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.

View our latest analysis for Industries Qatar Q.P.S.C

If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report on Industries Qatar Q.P.S.C.

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

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/E as steep as Industries Qatar Q.P.S.C's is when the company's growth is on track to outshine the market decidedly.

If we review the last year of earnings, dishearteningly the company's profits fell to the tune of 24%. As a result, earnings from three years ago have also fallen 56% overall. Therefore, it's fair to say the earnings growth recently has been undesirable for the company.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the nine analysts covering the company suggest earnings should grow by 6.7% each year over the next three years. Meanwhile, the rest of the market is forecast to expand by 9.1% per year, which is noticeably more attractive.

In light of this, it's alarming that Industries Qatar Q.P.S.C's P/E sits above the majority of other companies. Apparently many investors in the company are way more bullish than analysts indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock at any price. Only the boldest would assume these prices are sustainable as this level of earnings growth is likely to weigh heavily on the share price eventually.

The Final Word

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.

Our examination of Industries Qatar Q.P.S.C's analyst forecasts revealed that its inferior earnings outlook isn't impacting its high P/E anywhere near as much as we would have predicted. When we see a weak earnings outlook with slower than market growth, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, sending the high P/E lower. Unless these conditions improve markedly, it's very challenging to accept these prices as being reasonable.

It is also worth noting that we have found 2 warning signs for Industries Qatar Q.P.S.C (1 is a bit concerning!) that you need to take into consideration.

It's important to make sure you look for a great company, not just the first idea you come across. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and 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.