With a price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 37.1x FactSet Research Systems Inc. (NYSE:FDS) may be sending very bearish signals at the moment, given that almost half of all companies in the United States have P/E ratios under 16x and even P/E's lower than 9x are not unusual. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the highly elevated P/E.
With its earnings growth in positive territory compared to the declining earnings of most other companies, FactSet Research Systems has been doing quite well of late. It seems that many are expecting the company to continue defying the broader market adversity, which has increased investors' willingness to pay up for the stock. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.
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What Are Growth Metrics Telling Us About The High P/E?
There's an inherent assumption that a company should far outperform the market for P/E ratios like FactSet Research Systems' to be considered reasonable.
If we review the last year of earnings growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 17%. The latest three year period has also seen a 25% overall rise in EPS, aided extensively by its short-term performance. So we can start by confirming that the company has actually done a good job of growing earnings over that time.
Turning to the outlook, the next three years should generate growth of 13% each year as estimated by the analysts watching the company. That's shaping up to be similar to the 12% per year growth forecast for the broader market.
In light of this, it's curious that FactSet Research Systems' P/E sits above the majority of other companies. Apparently many investors in the company are more bullish than analysts indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock right now. These shareholders may be setting themselves up for disappointment if the P/E falls to levels more in line with the growth outlook.
The Bottom Line On FactSet Research Systems' P/E
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 FactSet Research Systems currently trades on a higher than expected P/E since its forecast growth is only in line with the wider market. Right now we are uncomfortable with the relatively high share price as the predicted future earnings aren't likely to support such positive sentiment for long. Unless these conditions improve, it's challenging to accept these prices as being reasonable.
There are also other vital risk factors to consider before investing and we've discovered 1 warning sign for FactSet Research Systems that you should be aware of.
Of course, you might also be able to find a better stock than FactSet Research Systems. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have reasonable P/E ratios and have grown earnings strongly.
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.
由于市盈率(或 “市盈率”)为37.1倍,FactSet Research Systems Inc.(纽约证券交易所代码:FDS)目前可能发出了非常看跌的信号,因为美国几乎有一半的公司市盈率低于16倍,甚至市盈率低于9倍也并不罕见。尽管如此,我们需要更深入地挖掘才能确定市盈率大幅上涨是否有合理的基础。
与大多数其他公司的收益下降相比,FactSet Research Systems的收益增长处于正值区间,最近表现良好。看来许多人预计该公司将继续克服更广泛的市场逆境,这增加了投资者为股票买单的意愿。你真的希望如此,否则你将无缘无故地付出相当高的代价。
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关于高市盈率,增长指标告诉我们什么?
人们固有的假设是,如果像FactSet Research Systems这样的市盈率被认为是合理的,公司的表现应该远远超过市场。