How Does Kronos Worldwide's (NYSE:KRO) P/E Compare To Its Industry, After The Share Price Drop?

To the annoyance of some shareholders, Kronos Worldwide (NYSE:KRO) shares are down a considerable 37% in the last month. That drop has capped off a tough year for shareholders, with the share price down 48% in that time.

All else being equal, a share price drop should make a stock more attractive to potential investors. In the long term, share prices tend to follow earnings per share, but in the short term prices bounce around in response to short term factors (which are not always obvious). So, on certain occasions, long term focussed investors try to take advantage of pessimistic expectations to buy shares at a better price. Perhaps the simplest way to get a read on investors' expectations of a business is to look at its Price to Earnings Ratio (PE Ratio). A high P/E ratio means that investors have a high expectation about future growth, while a low P/E ratio means they have low expectations about future growth.

View our latest analysis for Kronos Worldwide

Does Kronos Worldwide Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry?

We can tell from its P/E ratio of 8.13 that sentiment around Kronos Worldwide isn't particularly high. If you look at the image below, you can see Kronos Worldwide has a lower P/E than the average (16.0) in the chemicals industry classification.

Kronos Worldwide's P/E tells us that market participants think it will not fare as well as its peers in the same industry. Since the market seems unimpressed with Kronos Worldwide, it's quite possible it could surprise on the upside. It is arguably worth checking if insiders are buying shares, because that might imply they believe the stock is undervalued.

How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

Probably the most important factor in determining what P/E a company trades on is the earnings growth. If earnings are growing quickly, then the 'E' in the equation will increase faster than it would otherwise. That means even if the current P/E is high, it will reduce over time if the share price stays flat. Then, a lower P/E should attract more buyers, pushing the share price up.

Kronos Worldwide saw earnings per share decrease by 55% last year. But it has grown its earnings per share by 4.4% per year over the last five years.

A Limitation: P/E Ratios Ignore Debt and Cash In The Bank

It's important to note that the P/E ratio considers the market capitalization, not the enterprise value. That means it doesn't take debt or cash into account. Theoretically, a business can improve its earnings (and produce a lower P/E in the future) by investing in growth. That means taking on debt (or spending its cash).

Such expenditure might be good or bad, in the long term, but the point here is that the balance sheet is not reflected by this ratio.

Kronos Worldwide's Balance Sheet

Net debt totals just 6.1% of Kronos Worldwide's market cap. The market might award it a higher P/E ratio if it had net cash, but its unlikely this low level of net borrowing is having a big impact on the P/E multiple.

The Verdict On Kronos Worldwide's P/E Ratio

Kronos Worldwide has a P/E of 8.1. That's below the average in the US market, which is 13.3. The debt levels are not a major concern, but the lack of EPS growth is likely weighing on sentiment. What can be absolutely certain is that the market has become more pessimistic about Kronos Worldwide over the last month, with the P/E ratio falling from 12.9 back then to 8.1 today. For those who prefer to invest with the flow of momentum, that might be a bad sign, but for deep value investors this stock might justify some research.

Investors have an opportunity when market expectations about a stock are wrong. If the reality for a company is not as bad as the P/E ratio indicates, then the share price should increase as the market realizes this. So this free visualization of the analyst consensus on future earnings could help you make the right decision about whether to buy, sell, or hold.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with modest (or no) debt, trading on a P/E below 20.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.