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This article is for investors who would like to improve their understanding of price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). To keep it practical, we'll show how Lassila & Tikanoja Oyj's (HEL:LAT1V) P/E ratio could help you assess the value on offer. Lassila & Tikanoja Oyj has a price to earnings ratio of 13.42, based on the last twelve months. That corresponds to an earnings yield of approximately 7.5%.
See our latest analysis for Lassila & Tikanoja Oyj
How Do I Calculate A Price To Earnings Ratio?
The formula for P/E is:
Price to Earnings Ratio = Price per Share ÷ Earnings per Share (EPS)
Or for Lassila & Tikanoja Oyj:
P/E of 13.42 = €13.14 ÷ €0.98 (Based on the year to June 2019.)
Is A High P/E Ratio Good?
A higher P/E ratio means that investors are paying a higher price for each €1 of company earnings. That is not a good or a bad thing per se, but a high P/E does imply buyers are optimistic about the future.
How Does Lassila & Tikanoja Oyj's P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers?
One good way to get a quick read on what market participants expect of a company is to look at its P/E ratio. The image below shows that Lassila & Tikanoja Oyj has a lower P/E than the average (15.4) P/E for companies in the commercial services industry.
Its relatively low P/E ratio indicates that Lassila & Tikanoja Oyj shareholders think it will struggle to do as well as other companies in its industry classification. Many investors like to buy stocks when the market is pessimistic about their prospects. If you consider the stock interesting, further research is recommended. For example, I often monitor director buying and selling.
How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios
Companies that shrink earnings per share quickly will rapidly decrease the 'E' in the equation. That means unless the share price falls, the P/E will increase in a few years. Then, a higher P/E might scare off shareholders, pushing the share price down.
Lassila & Tikanoja Oyj increased earnings per share by an impressive 14% over the last twelve months. And earnings per share have improved by 39% annually, over the last five years. With that performance, you might expect an above average P/E ratio. Unfortunately, earnings per share are down 3.2% a year, over 3 years.
Don't Forget: The P/E Does Not Account For Debt or Bank Deposits
Don't forget that the P/E ratio considers market capitalization. Thus, the metric does not reflect cash or debt held by the company. In theory, a company can lower its future P/E ratio by using cash or debt to invest in growth.