There wouldn't be many who think Spire Inc.'s (NYSE:SR) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 16.7x is worth a mention when the median P/E in the United States is similar at about 17x. While this might not raise any eyebrows, if the P/E ratio is not justified investors could be missing out on a potential opportunity or ignoring looming disappointment.

Spire has been struggling lately as its earnings have declined faster than most other companies. It might be that many expect the dismal earnings performance to revert back to market averages soon, which has kept the P/E from falling. You'd much rather the company wasn't bleeding earnings if you still believe in the business. If not, then existing shareholders may be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.

View our latest analysis for Spire

Does Growth Match The P/E?

The only time you'd be comfortable seeing a P/E like Spire's is when the company's growth is tracking the market closely.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 2.5% decrease to the company's bottom line. Even so, admirably EPS has lifted 164% in aggregate from three years ago, notwithstanding the last 12 months. Accordingly, while they would have preferred to keep the run going, shareholders would probably welcome the medium-term rates of earnings growth.

Looking ahead now, EPS is anticipated to climb by 8.5% each year during the coming three years according to the seven analysts following the company. With the market predicted to deliver 12% growth per year, the company is positioned for a weaker earnings result.

In light of this, it's curious that Spire's P/E sits in line with the majority of other companies. Apparently many investors in the company are less bearish than analysts indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock right now. Maintaining these prices will be difficult to achieve as this level of earnings growth is likely to weigh down the shares eventually.

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 Spire's analyst forecasts revealed that its inferior earnings outlook isn't impacting its P/E as much as we would have predicted. Right now we are uncomfortable with the P/E as the predicted future earnings aren't likely to support a more positive sentiment for long. Unless these conditions improve, it's challenging to accept these prices as being reasonable.

Having said that, be aware Spire is showing 2 warning signs in our investment analysis, and 1 of those can't be ignored.

If you're unsure about the strength of Spire's business, why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals for some other companies you may have missed.

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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.