Yahoo Finance What Is Taylor Morrison Home's (NYSE:TMHC) P/E Ratio After Its Share Price Rocketed?
Those holding Taylor Morrison Home (NYSE:TMHC) shares must be pleased that the share price has rebounded 49% in the last thirty days. But unfortunately, the stock is still down by 41% over a quarter. But shareholders may not all be feeling jubilant, since the share price is still down 19% in the last year.
Assuming no other changes, a sharply higher share price makes a stock less attractive to potential buyers. In the long term, share prices tend to follow earnings per share, but in the short term prices bounce around in response to short term factors (which are not always obvious). So some would prefer to hold off buying when there is a lot of optimism towards a stock. 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.
Check out our latest analysis for Taylor Morrison Home
Does Taylor Morrison Home Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry?
Taylor Morrison Home's P/E of 10.63 indicates some degree of optimism towards the stock. You can see in the image below that the average P/E (9.4) for companies in the consumer durables industry is lower than Taylor Morrison Home's P/E.
Taylor Morrison Home's P/E tells us that market participants think the company will perform better than its industry peers, going forward. Clearly the market expects growth, but it isn't guaranteed. 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
Companies that shrink earnings per share quickly will rapidly decrease the 'E' in the equation. 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.
Taylor Morrison Home's earnings per share fell by 17% in the last twelve months. And it has shrunk its earnings per share by 3.3% per year over the last five years. This growth rate might warrant a below average P/E ratio.
Don't Forget: The P/E Does Not Account For Debt or Bank Deposits
Don't forget that the P/E ratio considers market capitalization. So it won't reflect the advantage of cash, or disadvantage of debt. 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.
While growth expenditure doesn't always pay off, the point is that it is a good option to have; but one that the P/E ratio ignores.
So What Does Taylor Morrison Home's Balance Sheet Tell Us?
Taylor Morrison Home's net debt is considerable, at 147% of its market cap. If you want to compare its P/E ratio to other companies, you must keep in mind that these debt levels would usually warrant a relatively low P/E.
The Verdict On Taylor Morrison Home's P/E Ratio
Taylor Morrison Home trades on a P/E ratio of 10.6, which is below the US market average of 14.7. When you consider that the company has significant debt, and didn't grow EPS last year, it isn't surprising that the market has muted expectations. What is very clear is that the market has become more optimistic about Taylor Morrison Home over the last month, with the P/E ratio rising from 7.1 back then to 10.6 today. For those who prefer to invest with the flow of momentum, that might mean it's time to put the stock on a watchlist, or research it. But the contrarian may see it as a missed opportunity.
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 report on the analyst consensus forecasts could help you make a master move on this stock.
You might be able to find a better buy than Taylor Morrison Home. 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).
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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. Thank you for reading.
