Match Group, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:MTCH) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 12.9x might make it look like a buy right now compared to the market in the United States, where around half of the companies have P/E ratios above 17x and even P/E's above 30x are quite common. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the reduced P/E.

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While the market has experienced earnings growth lately, Match Group's earnings have gone into reverse gear, which is not great. The P/E is probably low because investors think this poor earnings performance isn't going to get any better. If you still like the company, you'd be hoping this isn't the case so that you could potentially pick up some stock while it's out of favour.

Check out our latest analysis for Match Group

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

Does Growth Match The Low P/E?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/E as low as Match Group's is when the company's growth is on track to lag the market.

If we review the last year of earnings, dishearteningly the company's profits fell to the tune of 10%. Still, the latest three year period has seen an excellent 118% overall rise in EPS, in spite of its unsatisfying short-term performance. Although it's been a bumpy ride, it's still fair to say the earnings growth recently has been more than adequate for the company.

Looking ahead now, EPS is anticipated to climb by 13% per year during the coming three years according to the analysts following the company. With the market only predicted to deliver 11% per year, the company is positioned for a stronger earnings result.

In light of this, it's peculiar that Match Group's P/E sits below the majority of other companies. It looks like most investors are not convinced at all that the company can achieve future growth expectations.

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.

We've established that Match Group currently trades on a much lower than expected P/E since its forecast growth is higher than the wider market. When we see a strong earnings outlook with faster-than-market growth, we assume potential risks are what might be placing significant pressure on the P/E ratio. At least price risks look to be very low, but investors seem to think future earnings could see a lot of volatility.

It's always necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 3 warning signs with Match Group , and understanding these should be part of your investment process.

You might be able to find a better investment than Match Group. If you want a selection of possible candidates, check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a low P/E (but have proven they can grow earnings).

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