General Motors Trailing P/E

## What this measures

General Motors's price-to-earnings ratio on trailing results: the company's market value divided by its net income over the last four reported quarters, as known on each day.

## Why it matters

It is the simplest read of how much investors are paying for each dollar the company already earns. Read beside the S&P 100 trailing P/E (equities.sp100.trailing_pe) to see whether the company is priced above or below the group.

## How to read it

A reading of 30 means the company is valued at 30 times its last twelve months of profit. The earnings part changes only when a new quarterly or annual report is filed; between filings the ratio moves with the share price.

## What it does not say

It is not a forward P/E: analysts' estimates of next year's earnings are licensed data Palanor does not carry. Earnings are reported GAAP net income, so one-off gains and charges move it. There is no reading while trailing net income is zero or negative. Market value uses the company's current share count, so earlier readings ignore buybacks and new shares.

## Source

Net income from the company's SEC filings (XBRL, public domain). Share prices received through a licensed market data provider. Ratio computed by Palanor.