Yahoo Finance How Does Reliance Steel & Aluminum's (NYSE:RS) P/E Compare To Its Industry, After The Share Price Drop?
To the annoyance of some shareholders, Reliance Steel & Aluminum (NYSE:RS) shares are down a considerable 31% in the last month. The recent drop has obliterated the annual return, with the share price now down 9.4% over that longer period.
Assuming nothing else has changed, a lower share price makes a stock more attractive to potential buyers. While the market sentiment towards a stock is very changeable, in the long run, the share price will tend to move in the same direction as earnings per share. So, on certain occasions, long term focussed investors try to take advantage of pessimistic expectations to buy shares at a better price. Perhaps the simplest way to get a read on investors' expectations of a business is to look at its Price to Earnings Ratio (PE Ratio). Investors have optimistic expectations of companies with higher P/E ratios, compared to companies with lower P/E ratios.
See our latest analysis for Reliance Steel & Aluminum
Does Reliance Steel & Aluminum Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry?
Reliance Steel & Aluminum has a P/E ratio of 7.68. The image below shows that Reliance Steel & Aluminum has a P/E ratio that is roughly in line with the metals and mining industry average (7.6).
Reliance Steel & Aluminum's P/E tells us that market participants think its prospects are roughly in line with its industry. The company could surprise by performing better than average, in the future. Checking factors such as director buying and selling. could help you form your own view on if that will happen.
How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios
Generally speaking the rate of earnings growth has a profound impact on a company's P/E multiple. When earnings grow, the 'E' increases, over time. That means even if the current P/E is high, it will reduce over time if the share price stays flat. So while a stock may look expensive based on past earnings, it could be cheap based on future earnings.
Reliance Steel & Aluminum increased earnings per share by an impressive 19% over the last twelve months. And earnings per share have improved by 17% annually, over the last five years. With that performance, you might expect an above average P/E ratio.
Remember: P/E Ratios Don't Consider The Balance Sheet
It's important to note that the P/E ratio considers the market capitalization, not the enterprise value. Thus, the metric does not reflect cash or debt held by the company. The exact same company would hypothetically deserve a higher P/E ratio if it had a strong balance sheet, than if it had a weak one with lots of debt, because a cashed up company can spend on growth.
Such expenditure might be good or bad, in the long term, but the point here is that the balance sheet is not reflected by this ratio.
Is Debt Impacting Reliance Steel & Aluminum's P/E?
Net debt is 26% of Reliance Steel & Aluminum's market cap. While it's worth keeping this in mind, it isn't a worry.
The Bottom Line On Reliance Steel & Aluminum's P/E Ratio
Reliance Steel & Aluminum's P/E is 7.7 which is below average (12.7) in the US market. The company does have a little debt, and EPS growth was good last year. The low P/E ratio suggests current market expectations are muted, implying these levels of growth will not continue. What can be absolutely certain is that the market has become more pessimistic about Reliance Steel & Aluminum over the last month, with the P/E ratio falling from 11.1 back then to 7.7 today. For those who prefer invest in growth, this stock apparently offers limited promise, but the deep value investors may find the pessimism around this stock enticing.
Investors have an opportunity when market expectations about a stock are wrong. If it is underestimating a company, investors can make money by buying and holding the shares until the market corrects itself. So this free visual report on analyst forecasts could hold the key to an excellent investment decision.
You might be able to find a better buy than Reliance Steel & Aluminum. If you want a selection of possible winners, check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a P/E below 20 (but have proven they can grow earnings).
If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. 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. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.
We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
