The Market Doesn't Like What It Sees From Lindab International AB (publ)'s (STO:LIAB) Earnings Yet

With a price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 17.7x Lindab International AB (publ) (STO:LIAB) may be sending bullish signals at the moment, given that almost half of all companies in Sweden have P/E ratios greater than 22x and even P/E's higher than 39x are not unusual. However, the P/E might be low for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

Lindab International hasn't been tracking well recently as its declining earnings compare poorly to other companies, which have seen some growth on average. The P/E is probably low because investors think this poor earnings performance isn't going to get any better. If this is the case, then existing shareholders will probably struggle to get excited about the future direction of the share price.

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Is There Any Growth For Lindab International?

Lindab International's P/E ratio would be typical for a company that's only expected to deliver limited growth, and importantly, perform worse than the market.

If we review the last year of earnings, dishearteningly the company's profits fell to the tune of 20%. Still, the latest three year period has seen an excellent 56% overall rise in EPS, in spite of its unsatisfying short-term performance. Although it's been a bumpy ride, it's still fair to say the earnings growth recently has been more than adequate for the company.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the three analysts covering the company suggest earnings should grow by 9.6% over the next year. That's shaping up to be materially lower than the 20% growth forecast for the broader market.

In light of this, it's understandable that Lindab International's P/E sits below the majority of other companies. Apparently many shareholders weren't comfortable holding on while the company is potentially eyeing a less prosperous future.

The Final Word

We'd say the price-to-earnings ratio's power isn't primarily as a valuation instrument but rather to gauge current investor sentiment and future expectations.

We've established that Lindab International maintains its low P/E on the weakness of its forecast growth being lower than the wider market, as expected. Right now shareholders are accepting the low P/E as they concede future earnings probably won't provide any pleasant surprises. It's hard to see the share price rising strongly in the near future under these circumstances.

Before you settle on your opinion, we've discovered 1 warning sign for Lindab International that you should be aware of.

If you're unsure about the strength of Lindab International's business, why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals for some other companies you may have missed.

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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.