Toyo Tec Co.,Ltd. (TSE:9686) shareholders have had their patience rewarded with a 26% share price jump in the last month. The last 30 days bring the annual gain to a very sharp 59%.
Although its price has surged higher, it's still not a stretch to say that Toyo TecLtd's price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 12.2x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" compared to the market in Japan, where the median P/E ratio is around 14x. However, investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/E.
Toyo TecLtd certainly has been doing a great job lately as it's been growing earnings at a really rapid pace. The P/E is probably moderate because investors think this strong earnings growth might not be enough to outperform the broader market in the near future. If you like the company, you'd be hoping this isn't the case so that you could potentially pick up some stock while it's not quite in favour.
See our latest analysis for Toyo TecLtd
Toyo TecLtd'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.
If we review the last year of earnings growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 204%. The latest three year period has also seen an excellent 352% overall rise in EPS, aided by its short-term performance. Accordingly, shareholders would have probably welcomed those medium-term rates of earnings growth.
This is in contrast to the rest of the market, which is expected to grow by 8.7% over the next year, materially lower than the company's recent medium-term annualised growth rates.
In light of this, it's curious that Toyo TecLtd's P/E sits in line with the majority of other companies. It may be that most investors are not convinced the company can maintain its recent growth rates.
Toyo TecLtd appears to be back in favour with a solid price jump getting its P/E back in line with most other companies. It's argued the price-to-earnings ratio is an inferior measure of value within certain industries, but it can be a powerful business sentiment indicator.
Our examination of Toyo TecLtd revealed its three-year earnings trends aren't contributing to its P/E as much as we would have predicted, given they look better than current market expectations. There could be some unobserved threats to earnings preventing the P/E ratio from matching this positive performance. It appears some are indeed anticipating earnings instability, because the persistence of these recent medium-term conditions would normally provide a boost to the share price.
A lot of potential risks can sit within a company's balance sheet. You can assess many of the main risks through our free balance sheet analysis for Toyo TecLtd with six simple checks.
Of course, you might also be able to find a better stock than Toyo TecLtd. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have reasonable P/E ratios and have grown earnings strongly.
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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.