Comparable Company Analysis
The selection and adjustment of a peer group whose multiples are used to value a target company.
How it is identified
Test: peers share the business model, growth profile, margin structure, capital intensity and regulatory environment of the target
Unit
qualitative
In depth
The peer set determines the answer, so the selection is the analysis rather than a preliminary to it — a company can be shown as cheap or expensive simply by choosing a different comparison group. Genuine comparability means similar economics, not merely a shared industry label: two companies in the same sector with 8% and 25% margins are not peers. Differences that cannot be removed by choosing better peers must be adjusted for explicitly, usually by regressing the multiple against growth or return on capital. In India the peer set is often small enough that one outlier moves the median materially.
Worked example
A peer set of six companies has P/E ratios of 14, 16, 18, 21, 24 and 62. The mean is 25.8 and the median is 19.5; the single outlier moves the mean by more than six turns. The median is the defensible figure.
Illustrative figures, chosen so the arithmetic is easy to follow. Not a live price and not a valuation of any company.
Educational reference only
This entry explains what “Comparable Company Analysis” means. It is not investment advice and not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Any numbers above are illustrative, not live prices, and nothing here predicts price direction or rates a stock. Consider your own circumstances and consult a SEBI-registered investment adviser before acting.