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AbbVie Inc.'s (NYSE:ABBV) Business Is Trailing The Market But Its Shares Aren't

With a price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 20.1x AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV) may be sending bearish signals at the moment, given that almost half of all companies in the United States have P/E ratios under 13x and even P/E's lower than 8x are not unusual. However, the P/E might be high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

AbbVie certainly has been doing a good job lately as it's been growing earnings more than most other companies. The P/E is probably high because investors think this strong earnings performance will continue. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.

See our latest analysis for AbbVie

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Want the full picture on analyst estimates for the company? Then our free report on AbbVie will help you uncover what's on the horizon.

How Is AbbVie's Growth Trending?

AbbVie's P/E ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver solid growth, and importantly, perform better than the market.

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If we review the last year of earnings growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 90%. The strong recent performance means it was also able to grow EPS by 159% in total over the last three years. So we can start by confirming that the company has done a great job of growing earnings over that time.

Looking ahead now, EPS is anticipated to climb by 3.8% per annum during the coming three years according to the analysts following the company. With the market predicted to deliver 9.7% growth each year, the company is positioned for a weaker earnings result.

In light of this, it's alarming that AbbVie's P/E sits above the majority of other companies. It seems most investors are hoping for a turnaround in the company's business prospects, but the analyst cohort is not so confident this will happen. 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

It's argued the price-to-earnings ratio is an inferior measure of value within certain industries, but it can be a powerful business sentiment indicator.

Our examination of AbbVie's analyst forecasts revealed that its inferior earnings outlook isn't impacting its high P/E anywhere near as much as we would have predicted. Right now we are increasingly uncomfortable with the high P/E as the predicted future earnings aren't likely to support such positive sentiment for long. Unless these conditions improve markedly, it's very challenging to accept these prices as being reasonable.

We don't want to rain on the parade too much, but we did also find 2 warning signs for AbbVie (1 doesn't sit too well with us!) that you need to be mindful of.

It's important to make sure you look for a great company, not just the first idea you come across. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and a P/E ratio below 20x).

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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