Does Auckland International Airport Limited (NZSE:AIA) Have A Good P/E Ratio?

Simply Wall St

Sun, Jun 9, 2019, 5:28 PM

This article is for investors who would like to improve their understanding of price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). We'll look at Auckland International Airport Limited's (NZSE:AIA) P/E ratio and reflect on what it tells us about the company's share price. What is Auckland International Airport's P/E ratio? Well, based on the last twelve months it is 16.54. That is equivalent to an earnings yield of about 6.0%.

Check out our latest analysis for Auckland International Airport

How Do I Calculate Auckland International Airport's Price To Earnings Ratio?

The formula for P/E is:

Price to Earnings Ratio = Price per Share ÷ Earnings per Share (EPS)

Or for Auckland International Airport:

P/E of 16.54 = NZ$8.69 ÷ NZ$0.53 (Based on the year to December 2018.)

Is A High Price-to-Earnings Ratio Good?

A higher P/E ratio implies that investors pay a higher price for the earning power of the business. All else being equal, it's better to pay a low price -- but as Warren Buffett said, 'It's far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price.'

How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

Generally speaking the rate of earnings growth has a profound impact on a company's P/E multiple. 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. And as that P/E ratio drops, the company will look cheap, unless its share price increases.

Auckland International Airport's 76% EPS improvement over the last year was like bamboo growth after rain; rapid and impressive. The sweetener is that the annual five year growth rate of 27% is also impressive. So I'd be surprised if the P/E ratio was not above average.

How Does Auckland International Airport's P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers?

The P/E ratio indicates whether the market has higher or lower expectations of a company. The image below shows that Auckland International Airport has a lower P/E than the average (23.4) P/E for companies in the infrastructure industry.

NZSE:AIA Price Estimation Relative to Market, June 9th 2019

Auckland International Airport'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 Auckland International Airport, it's quite possible it could surprise on the upside. You should delve deeper. I like to check if company insiders have been buying or selling.

Remember: P/E Ratios Don't Consider The Balance Sheet

The 'Price' in P/E reflects the market capitalization of the company. In other words, it does not consider any debt or cash that the company may have on the balance sheet. The exact same company would hypothetically deserve a higher P/E ratio if it had a strong balance sheet, than if it had a weak one with lots of debt, because a cashed up company can spend on growth.

While growth expenditure doesn't always pay off, the point is that it is a good option to have; but one that the P/E ratio ignores.

How Does Auckland International Airport's Debt Impact Its P/E Ratio?

Auckland International Airport has net debt worth 20% of its market capitalization. This could bring some additional risk, and reduce the number of investment options for management; worth remembering if you compare its P/E to businesses without debt.

The Bottom Line On Auckland International Airport's P/E Ratio

Auckland International Airport's P/E is 16.5 which is below average (18) in the NZ market. The EPS growth last year was strong, and debt levels are quite reasonable. If the company can continue to grow earnings, then the current P/E may be unjustifiably low.

When the market is wrong about a stock, it gives savvy investors an opportunity. 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 visual report on analyst forecasts could hold the key to an excellent investment decision.

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.

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.

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. Thank you for reading.

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