Yahoo Finance What Is Zions Bancorporation National Association's (NASDAQ:ZION) P/E Ratio After Its Share Price Tanked?
Unfortunately for some shareholders, the Zions Bancorporation National Association (NASDAQ:ZION) share price has dived 35% in the last thirty days. Indeed the recent decline has arguably caused some bitterness for shareholders who have held through the 39% drop over twelve months.
Assuming nothing else has changed, a lower share price makes a stock more 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, 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). A high P/E ratio means that investors have a high expectation about future growth, while a low P/E ratio means they have low expectations about future growth.
Check out our latest analysis for Zions Bancorporation National Association
Does Zions Bancorporation National Association Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry?
Zions Bancorporation National Association's P/E of 6.78 indicates relatively low sentiment towards the stock. The image below shows that Zions Bancorporation National Association has a lower P/E than the average (10.4) P/E for companies in the banks industry.
Zions Bancorporation National Association's P/E tells us that market participants think it will not fare as well as its peers in the same industry. While current expectations are low, the stock could be undervalued if the situation is better than the market assumes. You should delve deeper. I like to check if company insiders have been buying or selling.
How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios
Probably the most important factor in determining what P/E a company trades on is the earnings growth. That's because companies that grow earnings per share quickly will rapidly increase the 'E' in the equation. And in that case, the P/E ratio itself will drop rather quickly. And as that P/E ratio drops, the company will look cheap, unless its share price increases.
Zions Bancorporation National Association's earnings per share were pretty steady over the last year. But it has grown its earnings per share by 21% per year over the last five years.
Remember: P/E Ratios Don't Consider The Balance Sheet
Don't forget that the P/E ratio considers market capitalization. So it won't reflect the advantage of cash, or disadvantage of debt. Theoretically, a business can improve its earnings (and produce a lower P/E in the future) by investing in growth. That means taking on debt (or spending its cash).
Spending on growth might be good or bad a few years later, but the point is that the P/E ratio does not account for the option (or lack thereof).
Zions Bancorporation National Association's Balance Sheet
Zions Bancorporation National Association's net debt equates to 39% of its market capitalization. While it's worth keeping this in mind, it isn't a worry.
The Bottom Line On Zions Bancorporation National Association's P/E Ratio
Zions Bancorporation National Association trades on a P/E ratio of 6.8, which is below the US market average of 14.7. EPS grew over the last twelve months, and debt levels are quite reasonable. If you believe growth will continue - or even increase - then the low P/E may signify opportunity. What can be absolutely certain is that the market has become more pessimistic about Zions Bancorporation National Association over the last month, with the P/E ratio falling from 10.5 back then to 6.8 today. For those who prefer to invest with the flow of momentum, that might be a bad sign, but for deep value investors this stock might justify some research.
Investors should be looking to buy stocks that the market is wrong about. 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.
But note: Zions Bancorporation National Association may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and a P/E ratio below 20).
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.
