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Here's What Xcel Energy Inc.'s (NASDAQ:XEL) P/E Is Telling Us

The goal of this article is to teach you how to use price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). We'll look at Xcel Energy Inc.'s (NASDAQ:XEL) P/E ratio and reflect on what it tells us about the company's share price. Xcel Energy has a P/E ratio of 23.76, based on the last twelve months. That means that at current prices, buyers pay $23.76 for every $1 in trailing yearly profits.

Check out our latest analysis for Xcel Energy

How Do You Calculate Xcel Energy's P/E Ratio?

The formula for price to earnings is:

Price to Earnings Ratio = Price per Share ÷ Earnings per Share (EPS)

Or for Xcel Energy:

P/E of 23.76 = $62.800 ÷ $2.644 (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2019.)

(Note: the above calculation results may not be precise due to rounding.)

Is A High Price-to-Earnings Ratio Good?

The higher the P/E ratio, the higher the price tag of a business, relative to its trailing earnings. That isn't a good or a bad thing on its own, but a high P/E means that buyers have a higher opinion of the business's prospects, relative to stocks with a lower P/E.

Does Xcel Energy Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry?

We can get an indication of market expectations by looking at the P/E ratio. You can see in the image below that the average P/E (20.6) for companies in the electric utilities industry is lower than Xcel Energy's P/E.

NasdaqGS:XEL Price Estimation Relative to Market April 9th 2020
NasdaqGS:XEL Price Estimation Relative to Market April 9th 2020

Its relatively high P/E ratio indicates that Xcel Energy shareholders think it will perform better than other companies in its industry classification. Clearly the market expects growth, but it isn't guaranteed. So further research is always essential. I often monitor director buying and selling.

How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

Generally speaking the rate of earnings growth has a profound impact on a company's P/E multiple. If earnings are growing quickly, then the 'E' in the equation will increase faster than it would otherwise. And in that case, the P/E ratio itself will drop rather quickly. A lower P/E should indicate the stock is cheap relative to others -- and that may attract buyers.

Xcel Energy saw earnings per share improve by 7.1% last year. And its annual EPS growth rate over 5 years is 5.5%.

A Limitation: P/E Ratios Ignore Debt and Cash In The Bank

It's important to note that the P/E ratio considers the market capitalization, not the enterprise value. Thus, the metric does not reflect cash or debt held by the company. The exact same company would hypothetically deserve a higher P/E ratio if it had a strong balance sheet, than if it had a weak one with lots of debt, because a cashed up company can spend on growth.

While growth expenditure doesn't always pay off, the point is that it is a good option to have; but one that the P/E ratio ignores.

Xcel Energy's Balance Sheet

Xcel Energy has net debt worth 56% of its market capitalization. This is a reasonably significant level of debt -- all else being equal you'd expect a much lower P/E than if it had net cash.

The Verdict On Xcel Energy's P/E Ratio

Xcel Energy trades on a P/E ratio of 23.8, which is above its market average of 13.3. With relatively high debt, and reasonably modest earnings per share growth over twelve months, it's safe to say the market believes the company will improve its growth in the future.

When the market is wrong about a stock, it gives savvy investors an opportunity. As value investor Benjamin Graham famously said, 'In the short run, the market is a voting machine but in the long run, it is a weighing machine. So this free report on the analyst consensus forecasts could help you make a master move on this stock.

You might be able to find a better buy than Xcel Energy. If you want a selection of possible winners, check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a P/E below 20 (but have proven they can grow earnings).

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.