Quote from NoDoji:
OK, I just noticed GMCR hitting the hi ticker above $98/share. WTF, mate? P/E of 75?? Does their coffee cure cancer?
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But their earnings for 2011 are estimated at $2.85. If that turns out correct then a price at 98 will be a PE in the 30s. And by 2012 it would be down to 25 P/E. If it's still growing 40% by 2012 then it will be selling a lot higher than 25 P/E.
So basically a 75 times PE is justified *if* it has huge growth. Of course if the growth flops, it will crash. But some of the top growth stocks of the past have had high PEs like this and then went on to make them look cheap with hindsight. Microsoft, Dell, Apple etc. And some boomed and then crashed like Iomega, Taser, Crox and so on.