Mueller Industries, Inc. (NYSE:MLI) shares have continued their recent momentum with a 32% gain in the last month alone. The annual gain comes to 151% following the latest surge, making investors sit up and take notice.

Even after such a large jump in price, it's still not a stretch to say that Mueller Industries' price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 18.4x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" compared to the market in the United States, where the median P/E ratio is around 19x. However, investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/E.

For example, consider that Mueller Industries' financial performance has been poor lately as its earnings have been in decline. One possibility is that the P/E is moderate because investors think the company might still do enough to be in line with the broader market in the near future. If you like the company, you'd at least be hoping this is the case so that you could potentially pick up some stock while it's not quite in favour.

How Is Mueller Industries' Growth Trending?

In order to justify its P/E ratio, Mueller Industries would need to produce growth that's similar to the market.

Taking a look back first, the company's earnings per share growth last year wasn't something to get excited about as it posted a disappointing decline of 5.9%. Even so, admirably EPS has lifted 52% in aggregate from three years ago, notwithstanding the last 12 months. Although it's been a bumpy ride, it's still fair to say the earnings growth recently has been more than adequate for the company.

It's interesting to note that the rest of the market is similarly expected to grow by 15% over the next year, which is fairly even with the company's recent medium-term annualised growth rates.

With this information, we can see why Mueller Industries is trading at a fairly similar P/E to the market. Apparently shareholders are comfortable to simply hold on assuming the company will continue keeping a low profile.

The Key Takeaway

Mueller Industries' stock has a lot of momentum behind it lately, which has brought its P/E level with the market. Using the price-to-earnings ratio alone to determine if you should sell your stock isn't sensible, however it can be a practical guide to the company's future prospects.

We've established that Mueller Industries maintains its moderate P/E off the back of its recent three-year growth being in line with the wider market forecast, as expected. At this stage investors feel the potential for an improvement or deterioration in earnings isn't great enough to justify a high or low P/E ratio. If recent medium-term earnings trends continue, it's hard to see the share price moving strongly in either direction in the near future under these circumstances.

You always need to take note of risks, for example - Mueller Industries has 1 warning sign we think 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.