Price Earnings Ratio (PE Ratio):

Definition:

Price earnings ratio (P/E ratio) is the ratio between market price per equity share and earning per share.

The ratio is calculated to make an estimate of appreciation in the value of a share of a company and is widely used by investors to decide whether or not to buy shares in a particular company.

Formula of Price Earnings Ratio:

Following formula is used to calculate price earnings ratio:

[Price Earnings Ratio = Market price per equity share / Earnings per share]

Example:

The market price of a share is $30 and earning per share is $5.

Calculate price earnings ratio.

Calculation:

Price earnings ratio = 30 / 5

= 6

The market value of every one dollar of earning is six times or $6. The ratio is useful in financial forecasting. It also helps in knowing whether the share of a company are under or over valued. For example, if the earning per share of AB limited is $20, its market price $140 and earning ratio of similar companies is 8, it means that the market value of a share of AB Limited should be $160 (i.e., 8 × 20). The share of AB Limited is, therefore, undervalued in the market by $20. In case the price earnings ratio of similar companies is only 6, the value of the share of AB Limited should have been $120 (i.e., 6 × 20), thus the share is overvalued by $20.

Significance of Price Earning Ratio:

Price earnings ratio helps the investor in deciding whether to buy or not to buy the shares of a particular company at a particular market price.

Generally, higher the price earning ratio the better it is. If the P/E ratio falls, the management should look into the causes that have resulted into the fall of this ratio.

 

You may also be interested in other relevant articles: Horizontal Analysis or Trend Analysis Trend Percentage Vertical Analysis Limitations of Financial Statement Analysis Accounting Ratios definition, advantages, classifications and limitations Financial Ratio Formulas Profitability ratios: Gross profit ratio Net profit ratio Operating ratio Expense ratio Return on shareholders investment or net worth Return on equity capital Return on capital employed (ROCE) ratio Dividend yield ratio Dividend payout ratio Earnings Per Share Ratio Price earning ratio Liquidity ratios: Current ratio Liquid /Acid test / Quick ratio Activity ratios: Inventory/Stock turnover ratio Debtors/Receivables turnover ratio Average collection period Creditors/Payable turnover ratio Working capital turnover ratio Fixed assets turnover ratio Over and under trading Leverage ratios or long term solvency ratios: Debt equity ratio Proprietary or Equity ratio Ratio of fixed assets to shareholders funds Ratio of current assets to shareholders funds Interest coverage or debt service ratio Capital gearing ratio Over and under capitalization

 

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