When close to half the companies in the United States have price-to-earnings ratios (or "P/E's") below 17x, you may consider GXO Logistics, Inc. (NYSE:GXO) as a stock to avoid entirely with its 52.2x P/E ratio. However, the P/E might be quite high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.
GXO Logistics has been struggling lately as its earnings have declined faster 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 GXO Logistics
Is There Enough Growth For GXO Logistics?
In order to justify its P/E ratio, GXO Logistics would need to produce outstanding growth well in excess of the market.
Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 30% decrease to the company's bottom line. However, a few very strong years before that means that it was still able to grow EPS by an impressive 89% in total over the last three years. 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.
Turning to the outlook, the next three years should generate growth of 47% per year as estimated by the analysts watching the company. That's shaping up to be materially higher than the 11% per annum growth forecast for the broader market.
With this information, we can see why GXO Logistics is trading at such a high P/E compared to the market. Apparently shareholders aren't keen to offload something that is potentially eyeing a more prosperous future.
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 GXO Logistics' 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. 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 3 warning signs for GXO Logistics you should be aware of.
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:GXO
Reasonable growth potential and fair value.
