Stock FAQs

how to do the p/e ratio in a stock

by Mr. Zion DuBuque Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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The P/E ratio is derived by dividing the price of a stock by the stock’s earnings. Think of it this way: The market price of a stock tells you how much people are willing to pay to own the shares, but the P/E ratio tells you whether the price accurately reflects the company’s earnings potential, or it’s value over time.

To determine the P/E value, one must simply divide the current stock price by the earnings per share (EPS).

Full Answer

What is a good PE ratio for a stock?

  • The value of P/E ratio
  • Seeing the bigger picture
  • Predictive power of P/E ratio

How to find the historical PE ratio for any stock?

The price to equity ratio is the average market price per share divided by the average earnings per share. You mean the trailing 12 month PE. From their financial statements, take the EPS or earnings per share for the last four quarters, add them. Divide the current price by that number. That gives you TTM (Trailing Twelve Months) PE for the stock.

What is the Best PE ratio?

Bank of America Corporation ( BAC) closed out the year 2021 with the following stats:

  • Stock Price = $30.31
  • Diluted EPS = $1.87
  • P/E = 16.21x ($30.31 / $1.87) 4

What is the highest PE ratio?

PE ratio = share price/earnings per share. Therefore, if a company’s EPS is £20, and its share price is valued at £140, then it has a PE ratio of seven. What does a PE ratio tell us? A high PE ratio suggests that investors expect a high level of earnings in the future, and that growth will be strong. The share price has risen faster than earnings, on expectations of an improvement in performance

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What is a good PE ratio on a stock?

So, what is a good PE ratio for a stock? A “good” P/E ratio isn't necessarily a high ratio or a low ratio on its own. The market average P/E ratio currently ranges from 20-25, so a higher PE above that could be considered bad, while a lower PE ratio could be considered better.

Is a 9 PE ratio good?

An investment with a below-average P/E ratio would be classified as a value investment. Citigroup, with a price-to-earnings ratio under 9, would be considered a value company. The P/E ratio can be used to compare two or more companies.

Is 30 a good PE ratio?

P/E 30 Ratio Explained A P/E of 30 is high by historical stock market standards. This type of valuation is usually placed on only the fastest-growing companies by investors in the company's early stages of growth. Once a company becomes more mature, it will grow more slowly and the P/E tends to decline.

What is Amazon PE ratio?

The PE ratio is a simple way to assess whether a stock is over or under valued and is the most widely used valuation measure. Amazon PE ratio as of July 01, 2022 is 41.17.

Price Earnings Ratio Formula

P/E = Stock Price Per Share / Earnings Per ShareorP/E = Market Capitalization / Total Net EarningsorJustified P/E = Dividend Payout Ratio / R – Gwh...

P/E Ratio Formula Explanation

The basic P/E formula takes current stock price and EPS to find the current P/E. EPS is found by taking earnings from the last twelve months divide...

Why Use The Price Earnings Ratio?

Investors want to buy financially sound companies that offer cheap shares. Among the many ratios, the P/E is part of the research process for selec...

Limitations of Price Earnings Ratio

Finding the true value of a stock cannot just be calculated using current year earnings. The value depends on all expected future cash flows and ea...

Why Use the Price Earnings Ratio?

Investors want to buy financially sound companies that offer a good return on investment (ROI) ROI Formula (Return on Investment) Return on investment (ROI) is a financial ratio used to calculate the benefit an investor will receive in relation to their investment cost.

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Video Explanation of the Price Earnings Ratio

Below is a short video that explains how to calculate a company’s price-to-earnings ratio and how to interpret the results.

Limitations of Price Earnings Ratio

Finding the true value of a stock cannot just be calculated using current year earnings. The value depends on all expected future cash flows Cash Flow Cash Flow (CF) is the increase or decrease in the amount of money a business, institution, or individual has.

Additional Resources

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Forward Price-to-Earnings

These two types of EPS metrics factor into the most common types of P/E ratios: the forward P/E and the trailing P/E. A third and less common variation uses the sum of the last two actual quarters and the estimates of the next two quarters.

Trailing Price-to-Earnings

The trailing P/E relies on past performance by dividing the current share price by the total EPS earnings over the past 12 months. It's the most popular P/E metric because it's the most objective—assuming the company reported earnings accurately.

Investor Expectations

In general, a high P/E suggests that investors are expecting higher earnings growth in the future compared to companies with a lower P/E. A low P/E can indicate either that a company may currently be undervalued or that the company is doing exceptionally well relative to its past trends.

What Is a Good Price-to-Earnings Ratio?

The question of what is a good or bad price-to-earnings ratio will necessarily depend on the industry in which the company is operating. Some industries will have higher average price-to-earnings ratios, while others will have lower ratios.

Tactics and considerations

Look at the P/E ratios of other companies in the same industry or sector as the company whose stock you’re considering.

Example

Here’s what the price to earnings ratio formula looks like, as a mathematical equation:

Find out more

We break down the basics of investing in this short and informative learning guide. Not sure what the difference is between a stock, bond, or a fund? You’ve come to the right place!

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