When close to half the companies in the United States have price-to-earnings ratios (or "P/E's") below 18x, you may consider ATI Inc. (NYSE:ATI) as a stock to potentially avoid with its 20.7x P/E ratio. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/E at face value as there may be an explanation why it's as high as it is.
Recent times haven't been advantageous for ATI as its earnings have been falling quicker than most other companies. It might be that many expect the dismal 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.
See our latest analysis for ATI
Does Growth Match The High P/E?
In order to justify its P/E ratio, ATI would need to produce impressive growth in excess of the market.
Taking a look back first, the company's earnings per share growth last year wasn't something to get excited about as it posted a disappointing decline of 23%. Unfortunately, that's brought it right back to where it started three years ago with EPS growth being virtually non-existent overall during that time. Therefore, it's fair to say that earnings growth has been inconsistent recently for the company.
Shifting to the future, estimates from the seven analysts covering the company suggest earnings should grow by 14% per year over the next three years. That's shaping up to be materially higher than the 10% each year growth forecast for the broader market.
In light of this, it's understandable that ATI's P/E sits above the majority of other companies. It seems most investors are expecting this strong future growth and are willing to pay more for the stock.
The Final Word
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.
As we suspected, our examination of ATI's analyst forecasts revealed that its superior earnings outlook is contributing to its high P/E. At this stage investors feel the potential for a deterioration in earnings isn't great enough to justify a lower P/E ratio. Unless these conditions change, they will continue to provide strong support to the share price.
And what about other risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for ATI you should know about.
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.
About NYSE:ATI
ATI
Produces and sells specialty materials and complex components worldwide.
Undervalued with adequate balance sheet.
