The pros and cons of the comparable/multiples valuation of the stocks
Exercise 1: Theoretical question (150 words maximum)
Explain what are the pros and cons of the comparable/multiples valuation of the stocks? What are the most popular multiplicators for stock valuation?
Exercise 2: Practical valuation using P/E ratio.
Pick a stock of the publicly traded US-based company of your choice. What is the industry of the company? Use average industry P/E ratio and EPS (earnings per share) of the company to define the “fair” price of the stock.
Hint: you might find this data useful:
http://pages.stern.nyu.edu/~adamodar/New_Home_Page/datafile/pedata.html
Sample Solution
Pros of Comparable/Multiples Valuation
- Simplicity: Comparable/multiples valuation is a relatively simple and straightforward valuation method. It can be used by investors of all experience levels.
- Transparency: Comparable/multiples valuation is a transparent valuation method. The data that is used to perform the valuation is publicly available, and the valuation process can be easily understood.
- Speed: Comparable/multiples valuation can be performed quickly. This can be useful for investors who need to make a valuation decision quickly.
Full Answer Section
Cons of Comparable/Multiples Valuation- Accuracy: Comparable/multiples valuation is not always accurate. The accuracy of the valuation will depend on the quality of the comparable companies that are used and the accuracy of the multiples that are applied.
- Comparability: It can be difficult to find comparable companies that are truly comparable to the company being valued. This is because every company is unique.
- Multiples: Multiples can fluctuate over time, and they can vary from industry to industry. This can make it difficult to choose the right multiples to use.
- Price-to-earnings ratio (P/E ratio): The P/E ratio is calculated by dividing the company's stock price by its earnings per share. The P/E ratio is a measure of how much investors are willing to pay for each dollar of the company's earnings.
- Enterprise value-to-EBITDA ratio (EV/EBITDA ratio): The EV/EBITDA ratio is calculated by dividing the company's enterprise value by its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA). The EV/EBITDA ratio is a measure of how much investors are willing to pay for each dollar of the company's EBITDA.
- Price-to-book ratio (P/B ratio): The P/B ratio is calculated by dividing the company's stock price by its book value per share. The P/B ratio is a measure of how much investors are willing to pay for each dollar of the company's book value.
- Price-to-sales ratio (P/S ratio)
- Price-to-cash flow ratio (P/CF ratio)
- Price-to-free cash flow ratio (P/FCF ratio)