It's not a stretch to say that Coca-Cola FEMSA, S.A.B. de C.V.'s (NYSE:KOF) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 16.1x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" compared to the market in the United States, where the median P/E ratio is around 18x. While this might not raise any eyebrows, if the P/E ratio is not justified investors could be missing out on a potential opportunity or ignoring looming disappointment.
With earnings growth that's superior to most other companies of late, Coca-Cola FEMSA. de has been doing relatively well. It might be that many expect the strong earnings performance to wane, which has kept the P/E from rising. If not, then existing shareholders have reason to be feeling optimistic about the future direction of the share price.
Check out our latest analysis for Coca-Cola FEMSA. de
Coca-Cola FEMSA. de's P/E ratio would be typical for a company that's only expected to deliver moderate growth, and importantly, perform in line with the market.
Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew earnings per share by an impressive 16% last year. The latest three year period has also seen an excellent 54% overall rise in EPS, aided by its short-term performance. Accordingly, shareholders would have probably welcomed those medium-term rates of earnings growth.
Turning to the outlook, the next three years should generate growth of 9.5% per year as estimated by the analysts watching the company. With the market predicted to deliver 10% growth per annum, the company is positioned for a comparable earnings result.
In light of this, it's understandable that Coca-Cola FEMSA. de's P/E sits in line with the majority of other companies. Apparently shareholders are comfortable to simply hold on while the company is keeping a low profile.
Typically, we'd caution against reading too much into price-to-earnings ratios when settling on investment decisions, though it can reveal plenty about what other market participants think about the company.
We've established that Coca-Cola FEMSA. de maintains its moderate P/E off the back of its forecast growth being in line with the wider market, as expected. At this stage investors feel the potential for an improvement or deterioration in earnings isn't great enough to justify a high or low P/E ratio. It's hard to see the share price moving strongly in either direction in the near future under these circumstances.
You should always think about risks. Case in point, we've spotted 1 warning sign for Coca-Cola FEMSA. de you should be aware of.
It's important to make sure you look for a great company, not just the first idea you come across. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and a low P/E).
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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. 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.