NYSE:UPS) may be sending very bearish signals at the moment, given that almost half of all companies in the United States have P/E ratios under 18x and even P/E’s lower than 10x are not unusual. However, the P/E might be quite high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it’s justified.” data-reactid=”28″>With a price-to-earnings (or “P/E”) ratio of 31x United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS) may be sending very bearish signals at the moment, given that almost half of all companies in the United States have P/E ratios under 18x and even P/E’s lower than 10x are not unusual. However, the P/E might be quite high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it’s justified.
Recent times haven’t been advantageous for United Parcel Service as its earnings have been falling quicker than most other companies. It might be that many expect the dismal earnings performance to recover substantially, which has kept the P/E from collapsing. If not, then existing shareholders may be very nervous about the viability of the share price.
See our latest analysis for United Parcel Service ” data-reactid=”30″>See our latest analysis for United Parcel Service
free report on United Parcel Service will help you uncover what’s on the horizon.” data-reactid=”47″>Want the full picture on analyst estimates for the company? Then our free report on United Parcel Service will help you uncover what’s on the horizon.
Is There Enough Growth For United Parcel Service?
In order to justify its P/E ratio, United Parcel Service would need to produce outstanding growth well in excess of the market.
Taking a look back first, the company’s earnings per share growth last year wasn’t something to get excited about as it posted a disappointing decline of 7.8%. That put a dampener on the good run it was having over the longer-term as its three-year EPS growth is still a noteworthy 24% in total. So we can start by confirming that the company has generally done a good job of growing earnings over that time, even though it had some hiccups along the way.
Shifting to the future, estimates from the analysts covering the company suggest earnings should grow by 23% per annum over the next three years. That’s shaping up to be materially higher than the 13% per annum growth forecast for the broader market.
With this information, we can see why United Parcel Service is trading at such a high P/E compared to the market. Apparently shareholders aren’t keen to offload something that is potentially eyeing a more prosperous future.
The Key Takeaway
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 United Parcel Service maintains its high P/E on the strength of its forecast growth being higher than the wider market, as expected. Right now shareholders are comfortable with the P/E as they are quite confident future earnings aren’t under threat. It’s hard to see the share price falling strongly in the near future under these circumstances.
2 warning signs for United Parcel Service you should be aware of.” data-reactid=”56″>You should always think about risks. Case in point, we’ve spotted 2 warning signs for United Parcel Service you should be aware of.
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Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email [email protected].” data-reactid=”58″>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.
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