Trailing vs forward P/E
Definition · Level 9 · Valuation
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Share price ÷ EPS over the last 12 reported months, versus price ÷ consensus EPS for the next 12 months. A growing company looks cheaper on the forward version.
Example
$90 ÷ $3.60 = 25x trailing; ÷ $4.50 expected = 20x forward.
Where Tradecraft teaches it
Level 9 · Valuation, in the lesson “Multiples: equity value vs enterprise value”: P/E, PEG, P/S, P/B, EV/EBITDA, yields — and matching numerator to denominator.
Related terms
- Enterprise valueWhat the whole operating business is worth to all capital providers: market cap + debt + preferred + minority interest − cash.
- EV/EBITDAEnterprise value ÷ operating earnings before D&A.
- FCF yieldFree cash flow ÷ market cap — the cash return the business generates on the equity price; the inverse of price-to-free-cash-flow.
- Minority interestThe stake outside shareholders hold in subsidiaries a parent consolidates but doesn’t fully own; also called non-controlling interest.
- P/BPrice ÷ book value (shareholders’ equity) per share.
- P/E ratioShare price ÷ earnings per share: how many dollars the market pays for $1 of annual profit.