What is Price to Earnings Ratio?
Price to earnings ratio shows how much investors are willing to pay for a share in a company’s earnings. For example: The PE ratio of Asian Paints is 89.20. Its current market price is Rs 2,774. Its earnings per share (EPS) is Rs 28.67. This means investors are willing to pay 89 times to earn one rupee of Asian Paints earnings. PE ratio is calculated by dividing a company’s stock price by its EPS. It helps us decide if the price paid for a stock is equal to the value it generates. Wait… Does this mean price and value are not the same thing? Watch this video to learn everything about PE ratioWhat is the Difference Between Price and Value?
To understand PE ratio, you first need to understand the difference between price and value. Let me explain. Will you buy a dairy milk chocolate from me at Rs 500? Of course, not! No one will pay Rs 500 for a chocolate worth Rs 10. What if I reduce the price to Re 1? Will you buy it now? Yes, you will. Why did you change your decision? Simply because at Rs 500, the price far exceeded the value you will derive from the chocolate. Investors face the same dilemma while investing in stocks. The current market price of Tata Consultancy Ltd is Rs 3,000. Will you buy the share if a seller asks for Rs 4,000 per share? Absolutely not. What if someone is ready to sell the stock at Rs 2,000? You will immediately buy it, right? In the same way, Sensex is at 48,700 on 14th May 2021. Will you buy it? Is this valuation fair or overpriced? This can be answered using the PE ratio of Sensex.What is Sensex PE Ratio?
Sensex is the benchmark index of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). It contains 30 of the biggest and most traded stocks in India. These 30 stocks belong to sectors like Financial Services, Information and Technology (IT), Banks etc. By capturing the movement of these 30 stocks, Sensex captures the pulse of the economy. [Read More: 30 Sensex Stocks and their Weightage] Sensex PE ratio is the amount investors are willing to pay for one rupee of earnings in 30 Sensex companies. PE ratio of Sensex in May 2021 is 31.10. This means investors are willing to pay 31 times to earn one rupee.- A low Sensex PE denotes an undervalued or cheap market. It’s a strong BUY signal for investors.
- A high Sensex PE means the market is overvalued or expensive. It’s a strong SELL signal for investors.
How to Calculate Sensex PE Ratio?
To calculate Sensex PE ratio, you will need the following:- Current market price of Sensex
- Earnings per share of Sensex
Sensex PE Ratio From 1998 to 2021
- The PE ratio of Sensex grew by 86% between 1998 and 2001. In 2002, Sensex PE fell to 16.55. A fall of 30.72% in just 12 months.
- The PE ratio of Sensex grew by 33% between 2005 and 2008. In 2008, it fell by 30.74%!
- In March 2020, the PE ratio of Sensex fell from 24.60 to 19.60. A 20% fall in just one month.
- Sensex PE ratio fell by 30.74% in 2008. In the very next year, Sensex PE was up by 28.54%.
- In April 2020, Sensex PE was 18.8. In April 2021, it was 33.50. Sensex PE recovered more than 78% in just 12 months!
Ideal Sensex PE Ratio
The (average) Sensex PE ratio is 20.22. A Sensex PE ratio in 12-15 range is an excellent buying opportunity. But it is extremely rare. In the last 24 years, Sensex PE ratio was in 12-15 range only twice … in 1998 and 2003. Whereas it has been in the fairly priced range of 15-20, 50% of the times in the last 24 years. So, Sensex PE ratio between 15-20 is a good (realistic) entry point for investors. The below table will help you identify whether the market is overvalued or undervalued.Sensex PE | Valuations | What Should Investors Do |
Greater than 25 | Very Expensive (Overvalued) | Be Fearful. Investors can book profits while traders can short sell. |
20 – 25 | Expensive | Investors can book partial profits. |
15-20 | Fairly Priced | Investors can hold their investments |
12-15 | Undervalued Market | Be Greedy. Investors can invest in fundamentally strong stocks. |
Less than 12 | Cheap | An extremely rare event. A great buying opportunity |
The Trinity of Market Valuations
- Sensex PE Ratio
- Sensex Price to Book Value (PB) Ratio
- Sensex Dividend Yield
What is Sensex Price to Book Value?
PB is a company’s share price to the book value of its assets. It tells investors how much proportion of assets they own by buying a stock. A high PB ratio means investors are paying a higher price for the company’s assets. Here is the Price to Book Value of Sensex since 1998.- A Sensex PB ratio of more than 4.5 means the market is overvalued.
- A Sensex PB ratio between 2.75 to 3.25 means the market is fairly priced.
- A Sensex PB ratio below 3 means the market is undervalued.
What is Sensex Dividend Yield?
Dividend is a way for companies to distribute profits. Dividend yield is the ratio of dividend paid to a company’s share price.Analysis of Sensex PE Ratio for 2020-21.
FAQs on Sensex PE Ratio
- What is the ideal Sensex PE Ratio?
- Is Sensex Overvalued?
- What is the Price to Book Value of Sensex?
- What is the Dividend Yield ratio of Sensex?
- What was the PE ratio of Sensex during the 2008 market fall?
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