P/E Ratio Calculator

Calculate Price-to-Earnings ratio from stock price and EPS

P/E Ratio Formula: Price ÷ EPS

P/E Ratio = Stock Price ÷ Earnings Per Share

About P/E Ratio

What is P/E Ratio?

The Price-to-Earnings (P/E) ratio is a valuation metric that compares a company's stock price to its earnings per share (EPS). It shows how much investors are willing to pay for each dollar of earnings.

Formula

P/E Ratio = Stock Price ÷ Earnings Per Share (EPS)

Types of P/E Ratios

  • Trailing P/E: Uses past 12 months earnings (most common)
  • Forward P/E: Uses projected future earnings
  • Shiller P/E (CAPE): Uses 10-year average inflation-adjusted earnings

Interpretation Guidelines

  • Low P/E (< 15): Stock may be undervalued, value investment opportunity, or company has limited growth
  • Moderate P/E (15-25): Stock is fairly valued, typical for mature companies
  • High P/E (> 25): Stock may be overvalued, or investors expect high future growth
  • Negative P/E: Company is losing money (negative earnings)

Industry Benchmarks

  • Technology: 20-40 (high growth expectations)
  • Financial Services: 10-15 (mature, stable)
  • Utilities: 12-18 (stable, dividend-focused)
  • Consumer Goods: 15-25 (moderate growth)
  • Healthcare: 15-30 (varies by subsector)

Example Calculation

Company: ABC Corp
Stock Price: $150
EPS: $7.50
P/E Ratio: $150 ÷ $7.50 = 20
Interpretation: Investors are paying $20 for every $1 of earnings

Use Cases

  • Compare companies within the same industry
  • Identify potentially undervalued or overvalued stocks
  • Assess market sentiment about growth prospects
  • Screen stocks for value investing
  • Evaluate if a stock price is justified by earnings

Limitations

  • Not useful for companies with negative earnings
  • Varies significantly across industries
  • Can be manipulated through accounting practices
  • Doesn't account for debt levels or growth rates
  • Should be used with other valuation metrics (P/B, P/S, DCF)

Tips for Investors

  • Always compare P/E ratios within the same industry
  • Consider the PEG ratio (P/E divided by growth rate) for growth stocks
  • Look at historical P/E trends for the company
  • Compare to market average (S&P 500 average: ~15-20)
  • Use P/E ratio alongside other fundamental analysis tools