Indo Tech Transformers Limited (NSE:INDOTECH) shares have had a really impressive month, gaining 26% after a shaky period beforehand. The last 30 days were the cherry on top of the stock's 384% gain in the last year, which is nothing short of spectacular.
Following the firm bounce in price, given close to half the companies in India have price-to-earnings ratios (or "P/E's") below 34x, you may consider Indo Tech Transformers as a stock to avoid entirely with its 53.9x P/E ratio. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/E at face value as there may be an explanation why it's so lofty.
Indo Tech Transformers certainly has been doing a great job lately as it's been growing earnings at a really rapid pace. The P/E is probably high because investors think this strong earnings growth will be enough to outperform the broader market in the near future. If not, then existing shareholders might be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.
Check out our latest analysis for Indo Tech Transformers
We don't have analyst forecasts, but you can see how recent trends are setting up the company for the future by checking out our free report on Indo Tech Transformers' earnings, revenue and cash flow.The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/E as steep as Indo Tech Transformers' is when the company's growth is on track to outshine the market decidedly.
If we review the last year of earnings growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 76%. The strong recent performance means it was also able to grow EPS by 736% in total over the last three years. Accordingly, shareholders would have probably welcomed those medium-term rates of earnings growth.
Weighing that recent medium-term earnings trajectory against the broader market's one-year forecast for expansion of 26% shows it's noticeably more attractive on an annualised basis.
With this information, we can see why Indo Tech Transformers is trading at such a high P/E compared to the market. It seems most investors are expecting this strong growth to continue and are willing to pay more for the stock.
The strong share price surge has got Indo Tech Transformers' P/E rushing to great heights as well. Generally, our preference is to limit the use of the price-to-earnings ratio to establishing what the market thinks about the overall health of a company.
We've established that Indo Tech Transformers maintains its high P/E on the strength of its recent three-year growth being higher than the wider market forecast, as expected. Right now shareholders are comfortable with the P/E as they are quite confident earnings aren't under threat. If recent medium-term earnings trends continue, 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 1 warning sign for Indo Tech Transformers you should be aware of.
If P/E ratios interest you, you may wish to see this free collection of other companies with strong earnings growth and low P/E ratios.
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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.