Do You Know What Bijou Brigitte modische Accessoires Aktiengesellschaft's (ETR:BIJ) P/E Ratio Means?

Today, we'll introduce the concept of the P/E ratio for those who are learning about investing. We'll apply a basic P/E ratio analysis to Bijou Brigitte modische Accessoires Aktiengesellschaft's (ETR:BIJ), to help you decide if the stock is worth further research. Bijou Brigitte modische Accessoires has a price to earnings ratio of 18.15, based on the last twelve months. That means that at current prices, buyers pay €18.15 for every €1 in trailing yearly profits.

View our latest analysis for Bijou Brigitte modische Accessoires

How Do You Calculate A P/E Ratio?

The formula for price to earnings is:

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

Or for Bijou Brigitte modische Accessoires:

P/E of 18.15 = EUR49.50 ÷ EUR2.73 (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2019.)

Is A High Price-to-Earnings Ratio Good?

A higher P/E ratio means that investors are paying a higher price for each EUR1 of company 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 Bijou Brigitte modische Accessoires 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. We can see in the image below that the average P/E (26.7) for companies in the luxury industry is higher than Bijou Brigitte modische Accessoires's P/E.

Bijou Brigitte modische Accessoires's P/E tells us that market participants think it will not fare as well as its peers in the same industry. Since the market seems unimpressed with Bijou Brigitte modische Accessoires, it's quite possible it could surprise on the upside. You should delve deeper. I like to check if company insiders have been buying or selling.

How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

When earnings fall, the 'E' decreases, over time. That means even if the current P/E is low, it will increase over time if the share price stays flat. So while a stock may look cheap based on past earnings, it could be expensive based on future earnings.

Bijou Brigitte modische Accessoires's earnings per share were pretty steady over the last year. And it has shrunk its earnings per share by 4.9% per year over the last five years. So you wouldn't expect a very high P/E.

Don't Forget: The P/E Does Not Account For Debt or Bank Deposits

One drawback of using a P/E ratio is that it considers market capitalization, but not the balance sheet. 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.

Spending on growth might be good or bad a few years later, but the point is that the P/E ratio does not account for the option (or lack thereof).

How Does Bijou Brigitte modische Accessoires's Debt Impact Its P/E Ratio?

With net cash of €117m, Bijou Brigitte modische Accessoires has a very strong balance sheet, which may be important for its business. Having said that, at 30% of its market capitalization the cash hoard would contribute towards a higher P/E ratio.

The Bottom Line On Bijou Brigitte modische Accessoires's P/E Ratio

Bijou Brigitte modische Accessoires has a P/E of 18.1. That's below the average in the DE market, which is 20.8. EPS was up modestly better over the last twelve months. Also positive, the relatively strong balance sheet will allow for investment in growth. In contrast, the P/E indicates shareholders doubt that will happen!

Investors should be looking to buy stocks that the market is wrong about. If it is underestimating a company, investors can make money by buying and holding the shares until the market corrects itself. So this free visualization of the analyst consensus on future earnings could help you make the right decision about whether to buy, sell, or hold.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with modest (or no) debt, trading on a P/E below 20.

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.