Yahoo Finance Don't Sell Cantel Medical Corp. (NYSE:CMD) Before You Read This
Today, we'll introduce the concept of the P/E ratio for those who are learning about investing. To keep it practical, we'll show how Cantel Medical Corp.'s (NYSE:CMD) P/E ratio could help you assess the value on offer. What is Cantel Medical's P/E ratio? Well, based on the last twelve months it is 65.45. That corresponds to an earnings yield of approximately 1.5%.
View our latest analysis for Cantel Medical
How Do I Calculate A Price To Earnings Ratio?
The formula for price to earnings is:
Price to Earnings Ratio = Share Price ÷ Earnings per Share (EPS)
Or for Cantel Medical:
P/E of 65.45 = USD65.06 ÷ USD0.99 (Based on the trailing twelve months to October 2019.)
Is A High Price-to-Earnings Ratio Good?
The higher the P/E ratio, the higher the price tag of a business, relative to its trailing earnings. That isn't a good or a bad thing on its own, but a high P/E means that buyers have a higher opinion of the business's prospects, relative to stocks with a lower P/E.
How Does Cantel Medical's P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers?
One good way to get a quick read on what market participants expect of a company is to look at its P/E ratio. You can see in the image below that the average P/E (46.5) for companies in the medical equipment industry is lower than Cantel Medical's P/E.
Its relatively high P/E ratio indicates that Cantel Medical shareholders think it will perform better than other companies in its industry classification. Shareholders are clearly optimistic, but the future is always uncertain. So investors should always consider the P/E ratio alongside other factors, such as whether company directors have been buying shares.
How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios
If earnings fall then in the future the 'E' will be lower. Therefore, even if you pay a low multiple of earnings now, that multiple will become higher in the future. A higher P/E should indicate the stock is expensive relative to others -- and that may encourage shareholders to sell.
Cantel Medical's earnings per share fell by 53% in the last twelve months. And EPS is down 1.0% a year, over the last 5 years. This might lead to muted expectations.
Don't Forget: The P/E Does Not Account For Debt or Bank Deposits
It's important to note that the P/E ratio considers the market capitalization, not the enterprise value. So it won't reflect the advantage of cash, or disadvantage of debt. In theory, a company can lower its future P/E ratio by using cash or debt to invest in 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 Cantel Medical's P/E?
Cantel Medical has net debt equal to 31% of its market cap. While it's worth keeping this in mind, it isn't a worry.
The Bottom Line On Cantel Medical's P/E Ratio
With a P/E ratio of 65.5, Cantel Medical is expected to grow earnings very strongly in the years to come. With modest debt but no EPS growth in the last year, it's fair to say the P/E implies some optimism about future earnings, from the market.
Investors have an opportunity when market expectations about a stock are wrong. As value investor Benjamin Graham famously said, 'In the short run, the market is a voting machine but in the long run, it is a weighing machine. 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 Cantel Medical. 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.
