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How to calculate PE ratio with formula & Examples

What is the PE ratio?

PE ratio: the price-to-earnings (PE) ratio is a parameter that is used to get the valuation of a company's stock price. It measures the company’s current share price corresponding to the company's earnings per share (EPS). With the PE ratio, we estimate that a stock is overvalued, undervalued, or fairly valued with respect to the company's earnings.

What is the formula for the PE ratio?

The formula to calculate PE ratio is:

PE ratio = Market price per share / earnings per share (EPS)

What is EPS?

Earnings per Share (EPS): It is like a measure of company’s profitability. Think of EPS as a way to measure how much money each share of the company’s stock earned over a period of time (quarter or year). higher EPS means a company is generating more profits, which is a good 👍 sign.

What is the formula for EPS?

The formula to calculate EPS is:

EPS = Net Income / Number of outstanding shares

Example of how to calculate PE ratio

Assume a company has the following details:

  • Market Price per Share: ₹50
  • Net Income: ₹1,000,000
  • Number of Outstanding Shares: 200,000

First, we have to calculate EPS

EPS = 1,000,000 / 200,000 = 5

Next, calculate the PE ratio PE Ratio = 50 / 5 = 10

It means that the PE ratio is 10, indicating that investors are interested in paying ₹10 for every ₹1 of earnings the company generates.

Despite these things, we have some limitations with the PE ratio.

Earnings Variation: Earnings can vary due to various reasons, which will affect the PE ratio.

High Debt: High debt can decrease net income, and the PE ratio will automatically affect that.

With these limitations, the PE ratio is still a popular and useful measure for investors to get an idea of stock valuation.

Thanks for reading.

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