Some Confidence Is Lacking In The Shyft Group, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:SHYF) P/E
It's not a stretch to say that The Shyft Group, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:SHYF) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 18.6x 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. 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.
Recent times have been pleasing for Shyft Group as its earnings have risen in spite of the market's earnings going into reverse. One possibility is that the P/E is moderate because investors think the company's earnings will be less resilient moving forward. If not, then existing shareholders have reason to be feeling optimistic about the future direction of the share price.
See our latest analysis for Shyft Group
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How Is Shyft Group's Growth Trending?
There's an inherent assumption that a company should be matching the market for P/E ratios like Shyft Group's to be considered reasonable.
Retrospectively, the last year delivered an exceptional 52% gain to the company's bottom line. The latest three year period has also seen an excellent 892% overall rise in EPS, aided by its short-term performance. Therefore, it's fair to say the earnings growth recently has been superb for the company.
Turning to the outlook, the next year should generate growth of 0.8% as estimated by the four analysts watching the company. With the market predicted to deliver 3.2% growth , the company is positioned for a weaker earnings result.
In light of this, it's curious that Shyft Group'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
It's argued the price-to-earnings ratio is an inferior measure of value within certain industries, but it can be a powerful business sentiment indicator.
We've established that Shyft Group currently trades on a higher than expected P/E since its forecast growth is lower than the wider market. 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.
Don't forget that there may be other risks. For instance, we've identified 1 warning sign for Shyft Group that you should be aware of.
If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on Shyft Group, explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there.
This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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.
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