There wouldn't be many who think Carlisle Companies Incorporated's (NYSE:CSL) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 17.7x is worth a mention when the median P/E in the United States is similar at about 16x. However, investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/E.

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With earnings growth that's superior to most other companies of late, Carlisle Companies has been doing relatively well. One possibility is that the P/E is moderate because investors think this strong earnings performance might be about to tail off. If you like the company, you'd be hoping this isn't the case so that you could potentially pick up some stock while it's not quite in favour.

See our latest analysis for Carlisle Companies

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

How Is Carlisle Companies' Growth Trending?

The only time you'd be comfortable seeing a P/E like Carlisle Companies' is when the company's growth is tracking the market closely.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew earnings per share by an impressive 29% last year. The strong recent performance means it was also able to grow EPS by 168% in total over the last three years. Therefore, it's fair to say the earnings growth recently has been superb for the company.

Turning to the outlook, the next three years should generate growth of 13% each year as estimated by the seven analysts watching the company. Meanwhile, the rest of the market is forecast to only expand by 10% per year, which is noticeably less attractive.

With this information, we find it interesting that Carlisle Companies is trading at a fairly similar P/E to the market. It may be that most investors aren't convinced the company can achieve future growth expectations.

The Bottom Line On Carlisle Companies' P/E

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 Carlisle Companies' analyst forecasts revealed that its superior earnings outlook isn't contributing to its P/E as much as we would have predicted. There could be some unobserved threats to earnings preventing the P/E ratio from matching the positive outlook. At least the risk of a price drop looks to be subdued, but investors seem to think future earnings could see some volatility.

Before you settle on your opinion, we've discovered 1 warning sign for Carlisle Companies that you should be aware of.

If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on Carlisle Companies, explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there.

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.