Uzma Berhad (KLSE:UZMA) Looks Just Right With A 37% Price Jump

The Uzma Berhad (KLSE:UZMA) share price has done very well over the last month, posting an excellent gain of 37%. Looking further back, the 24% rise over the last twelve months isn't too bad notwithstanding the strength over the last 30 days.

Following the firm bounce in price, Uzma Berhad's price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 16.6x might make it look like a sell right now compared to the market in Malaysia, where around half of the companies have P/E ratios below 13x and even P/E's below 7x are quite common. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/E at face value as there may be an explanation why it's lofty.

Uzma Berhad could be doing better as its earnings have been going backwards lately while most other companies have been seeing positive earnings growth. One possibility is that the P/E is high because investors think this poor earnings performance will turn the corner. If not, then existing shareholders may be extremely nervous about the viability of the share price.

See our latest analysis for Uzma Berhad

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If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report on Uzma Berhad.

Does Growth Match The High P/E?

There's an inherent assumption that a company should outperform the market for P/E ratios like Uzma Berhad's to be considered reasonable.

Taking a look back first, the company's earnings per share growth last year wasn't something to get excited about as it posted a disappointing decline of 12%. The last three years don't look nice either as the company has shrunk EPS by 66% in aggregate. Therefore, it's fair to say the earnings growth recently has been undesirable for the company.

Looking ahead now, EPS is anticipated to climb by 23% each year during the coming three years according to the three analysts following the company. With the market only predicted to deliver 9.5% per year, the company is positioned for a stronger earnings result.

In light of this, it's understandable that Uzma Berhad's P/E sits above the majority of other companies. Apparently shareholders aren't keen to offload something that is potentially eyeing a more prosperous future.

The Key Takeaway

Uzma Berhad's P/E is getting right up there since its shares have risen strongly. Generally, our preference is to limit the use of the price-to-earnings ratio to establishing what the market thinks about the overall health of a company.

We've established that Uzma Berhad maintains its high P/E on the strength of its forecast growth being higher than the wider market, as expected. Right now shareholders are comfortable with the P/E as they are quite confident future earnings aren't under threat. Unless these conditions change, they will continue to provide strong support to the share price.

Don't forget that there may be other risks. For instance, we've identified 2 warning signs for Uzma Berhad (1 can't be ignored) you should be aware of.

If you're unsure about the strength of Uzma Berhad's business, why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals for some other companies you may have missed.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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