High Price Earnings Ratio and Investor Behavior | CTFA Exam Answer

High Price Earnings Ratio Behavior

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Question

High price earnings ratio often indicate that investors:

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A. B. C. D.

B

The correct answer to this question is B. Investors who are willing to pay a high price earnings ratio are usually optimistic about the company's future growth prospects.

The price earnings (P/E) ratio is a valuation metric that measures the current market price of a company's stock relative to its earnings per share (EPS). It is calculated by dividing the market price per share by the EPS. A high P/E ratio implies that investors are willing to pay more for each dollar of earnings. In contrast, a low P/E ratio may indicate that investors have lower expectations for future growth or have concerns about the company's financial performance.

Investors who are willing to pay a high P/E ratio are typically optimistic about the company's future prospects for growth and profitability. This could be due to a variety of factors, such as strong financial performance, a leading market position, a successful product line, or a promising new product or service. In other words, investors believe that the company's earnings will continue to grow at a fast pace, and they are willing to pay a premium for the stock to capture that growth.

In contrast, if investors have concerns about the company's future growth prospects or financial performance, they may be less willing to pay a high P/E ratio. For example, if a company has a history of declining earnings or faces stiff competition in its market, investors may be more cautious and demand a lower P/E ratio to compensate for the higher risk.

Therefore, option B - "investors are optimistic about the company" is the correct answer as high P/E ratios indicate that investors expect the company to perform well in the future.