Price Multiples as Indicators of Stock Price Movement: Evidence from the 21st Century

This paper examines the use of price multiples to predict stock returns. The price to earnings, price to sales, and price to book value multiples are regressed against annual stock returns to determine if a relation between the magnitude of the multiples and returns exists. The results indicate that there are relations between low price to earnings and price to sales multiples and positive returns. I find no evidence that the price to book value multiple can be used to develop a stock buying strategy