With a price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 30.7x Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT) 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 17x and even P/E's lower than 10x are not unusual. However, the P/E might be quite high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.
Recent times have been advantageous for Waters as its earnings have been rising faster than most other companies. The P/E is probably high because investors think this strong earnings performance will continue. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.
See our latest analysis for Waters
Does Growth Match The High P/E?
The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/E as steep as Waters' is when the company's growth is on track to outshine the market decidedly.
Retrospectively, the last year delivered a decent 8.3% gain to the company's bottom line. However, this wasn't enough as the latest three year period has seen an unpleasant 4.1% overall drop in EPS. Therefore, it's fair to say the earnings growth recently has been undesirable for the company.
Shifting to the future, estimates from the analysts covering the company suggest earnings should grow by 12% each year over the next three years. With the market predicted to deliver 10% growth per year, the company is positioned for a comparable earnings result.
With this information, we find it interesting that Waters is trading at a high P/E compared to the market. 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 Waters' P/E
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 Waters currently trades on a higher than expected P/E since its forecast growth is only in line with the wider market. When we see an average earnings outlook with market-like growth, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, sending the high P/E lower. This places shareholders' investments at risk and potential investors in danger of paying an unnecessary premium.
You should always think about risks. Case in point, we've spotted 1 warning sign for Waters you should be aware of.
Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with a strong growth track record, trading on a low P/E.
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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.