Investors Appear Satisfied With Profoto Holding AB (publ)'s (STO:PRFO) Prospects As Shares Rocket 31%

Profoto Holding AB (publ) (STO:PRFO) shares have had a really impressive month, gaining 31% after a shaky period beforehand. While recent buyers may be laughing, long-term holders might not be as pleased since the recent gain only brings the stock back to where it started a year ago.

Following the firm bounce in price, Profoto Holding may be sending very bearish signals at the moment with a price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 38.2x, since almost half of all companies in Sweden have P/E ratios under 24x and even P/E's lower than 13x are not unusual. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the highly elevated P/E.

Profoto Holding certainly has been doing a good job lately as it's been growing earnings more than most other companies. The P/E is probably high because investors think this strong earnings performance will continue. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.

Check out our latest analysis for Profoto Holding

Keen to find out how analysts think Profoto Holding's future stacks up against the industry? In that case, our free report is a great place to start.

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

There's an inherent assumption that a company should far outperform the market for P/E ratios like Profoto Holding's to be considered reasonable.

If we review the last year of earnings growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 327%. Pleasingly, EPS has also lifted 32% in aggregate from three years ago, thanks to the last 12 months of growth. Therefore, it's fair to say the earnings growth recently has been superb for the company.

Looking ahead now, EPS is anticipated to climb by 27% during the coming year according to the only analyst following the company. With the market only predicted to deliver 19%, the company is positioned for a stronger earnings result.

In light of this, it's understandable that Profoto Holding's P/E sits above the majority of other companies. Apparently shareholders aren't keen to offload something that is potentially eyeing a more prosperous future.

The Key Takeaway

Profoto Holding'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.

As we suspected, our examination of Profoto Holding's analyst forecasts revealed that its superior earnings outlook is contributing to its high P/E. Right now shareholders are comfortable with the P/E as they are quite confident future earnings aren't under threat. It's hard to see the share price falling strongly in the near future under these circumstances.

You should always think about risks. Case in point, we've spotted 1 warning sign for Profoto Holding you should be aware of.

Of course, you might also be able to find a better stock than Profoto Holding. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that sit on P/E's below 20x and have grown earnings strongly.

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.

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