WESCO International, Inc.'s (NYSE:WCC) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 12.5x might make it look like a buy right now compared to the market in the United States, where around half of the companies have P/E ratios above 17x and even P/E's above 32x are quite common. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the reduced P/E.
With earnings that are retreating more than the market's of late, WESCO International has been very sluggish. It seems that many are expecting the dismal earnings performance to persist, which has repressed the P/E. If you still like the company, you'd want its earnings trajectory to turn around before making any decisions. Or at the very least, you'd be hoping the earnings slide doesn't get any worse if your plan is to pick up some stock while it's out of favour.
Want the full picture on analyst estimates for the company? Then our free report on WESCO International will help you uncover what's on the horizon.
Is There Any Growth For WESCO International?
WESCO International's P/E ratio would be typical for a company that's only expected to deliver limited growth, and importantly, perform worse than the market.
If we review the last year of earnings, dishearteningly the company's profits fell to the tune of 24%. However, a few very strong years before that means that it was still able to grow EPS by an impressive 636% in total over the last three years. So we can start by confirming that the company has generally done a very good job of growing earnings over that time, even though it had some hiccups along the way.
Turning to the outlook, the next three years should generate growth of 13% per annum as estimated by the twelve analysts watching the company. Meanwhile, the rest of the market is forecast to only expand by 10% per annum, which is noticeably less attractive.
With this information, we find it odd that WESCO International is trading at a P/E lower than the market. It looks like most investors are not convinced at all that the company can achieve future growth expectations.
The Key Takeaway
We'd say the price-to-earnings ratio's power isn't primarily as a valuation instrument but rather to gauge current investor sentiment and future expectations.
Our examination of WESCO International's analyst forecasts revealed that its superior earnings outlook isn't contributing to its P/E anywhere near as much as we would have predicted. When we see a strong earnings outlook with faster-than-market growth, we assume potential risks are what might be placing significant pressure on the P/E ratio. At least price risks look to be very low, but investors seem to think future earnings could see a lot of volatility.
Before you settle on your opinion, we've discovered 2 warning signs for WESCO International that 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.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content?Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. 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.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
WESCO International, Inc. (纽交所:WCC)的市盈率(或称“P / E”)为12.5倍,与美国市场相比,美国约有一半公司的市盈率超过17倍,甚至相对普遍的市盈率高达32倍,可能会使它看起来像是买入。但是,我们需要深入挖掘,以确定减少 P / E 的合理依据。
随着 WESCO International 近期营收逐渐下滑,其营收远远不如市场。许多人似乎预计营收表现将持续低迷,这导致市盈率承压。如果你仍然喜欢这家公司,你会希望其盈利能够扭转局面,再做出任何决定,或者至少你希望在其不受青睐时买入一些股票时,不希望股票跌势加剧。
想要了解本公司分析师的预计吗?那么我们针对 WESCO International 的免费报告将帮助你揭示未来的趋势。
WESCO International 是否有任何增长机会?
WESCO International 的市盈率对于一个仅预期提供有限增长且表现不如市场的公司来说是典型的。
回顾过去一年的收益,令人沮丧的是,公司的利润下降了24%。然而,在那之前的几年里,WESCO International 能够以总计636%的惊人速度增加每股收益,这意味着公司通常做得非常好,尽管途中存在一些小问题。因此,我们可以开始确认该公司在那段时间内通常做得非常好,尽管会有一些波折。