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Investor Optimism Abounds ExlService Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:EXLS) But Growth Is Lacking

Simply Wall St
·3 min read

ExlService Holdings, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:EXLS) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 30.5x might make it look like a strong sell right now compared to the market in the United States, where around half of the companies have P/E ratios below 17x and even P/E's below 9x 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 so lofty.

ExlService Holdings certainly has been doing a good job lately as its earnings growth has been positive while most other companies have been seeing their earnings go backwards. The P/E is probably high because investors think the company will continue to navigate the broader market headwinds better than most. If not, then existing shareholders might be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.

Check out our latest analysis for ExlService Holdings

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Keen to find out how analysts think ExlService Holdings' future stacks up against the industry? In that case, our free report is a great place to start.

How Is ExlService Holdings' Growth Trending?

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

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew earnings per share by an impressive 54% last year. Still, EPS has barely risen at all from three years ago in total, which is not ideal. Accordingly, shareholders probably wouldn't have been overly satisfied with the unstable medium-term growth rates.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the nine analysts covering the company suggest earnings should grow by 9.4% each year over the next three years. With the market predicted to deliver 13% growth each year, the company is positioned for a weaker earnings result.

In light of this, it's alarming that ExlService Holdings' P/E sits above the majority of other companies. Apparently many investors in the company are way more bullish than analysts indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock at any price. There's a good chance these shareholders are setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/E falls to levels more in line with the growth outlook.

The Final Word

Using the price-to-earnings ratio alone to determine if you should sell your stock isn't sensible, however it can be a practical guide to the company's future prospects.

We've established that ExlService Holdings currently trades on a much higher than expected P/E since its forecast growth is lower than the wider market. When we see a weak earnings outlook with slower than market growth, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, sending the high P/E lower. Unless these conditions improve markedly, it's very challenging to accept these prices as being reasonable.

A lot of potential risks can sit within a company's balance sheet. Take a look at our free balance sheet analysis for ExlService Holdings with six simple checks on some of these key factors.

Of course, you might also be able to find a better stock than ExlService Holdings. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that sit on P/E's below 20x and have grown earnings strongly.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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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