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GEN: S&P P/E's (long)



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weilaw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> Does anyone have an idea of what the current P/E ratio is for the S&P 500? 
> What has been the all-time high, second and third highs?

[the data used in this study was last updated the first Friday
in July: July 4, 1997]

Executive summary:

 - inflation remains low, employment rates high
 - real 12-month trailing S&P earnings growth rate of 15.9%, remains strong
 - A big 3-month gain on the S&P (21%)
 - highest year-over-year return on the S&P registered in 14 years
 - S&P valuations are high with a P/E of 22.8
 - S&P dividend rate (1.7%) at an all-time low

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This study looks at the S&P 500 (SPX), its P/E ratio, dividend
rate, the T-bill rate, and inflation as measured by CPI.
Three values are calculated:

INFLAT%  - inflation rate, measured as year-over-year percent
	   increase/decrease in the CPI
EPGR   - year-over-year S&P EPS growth rate, inflation adjusted
SPXR   - year-over-year S&P price growth rate, including dividends,
         inflation adjusted.

We adjust for the inflation rate and calculate the excess return
over the risk-fee rate to de-rate returns during years that had
high inflation rates, or when short-term notes offered attractive
returns.

The current S&P 500 PE (22.8) has moved from moderate to high over the
past six months (the 10-year median is 17.8, the 30-year median is 14.5).

Over the past three months, the year-over-year real earnings growth
has improved, rising to a strong 15% -- strong enough to support
a three month gain of 21% in the S&P.  One thing that is working in
the market's favor is that year-over-year earnings comparisons are
getting easier  because the earnings growth a year ago was modest,
and declining.

With the encouraging improvement in S&P earnings, one of the risks
of a major over-valuation, and subsequent sell-off has been reduced.
Still, in recent times an SPX PE of greater than 20.0 was a definite
warning signal.  1992 had PE's as high as 25, but that period was
the beginning of an economic expansion and there were also many
accounting write offs taken in that period.  1987 can serve as a
recent time period with market dynamics comparable to now -- in
that period a PE of 21.1 was the highest PE recorded, last month
the PE (21.3) exceeded that value.

Unless earnings continue to come in strongly, while inflation
stays low, the S&P is currently over-valued, and at the high
end of its valuation range, based upon the P/E.

It is worth noting in passing, the S&P div. yield set a
new all time low, this month at 1.73%  The 10-year median is 3%.
Bullish analysts are quick to mention that many companies have
have changed their focus from dividends to earnings.  Also, companies
increasingly use stock buy-backs as a method of increasing shareholder
return.

The SPXR (annual return, including divs., adjusted for inflation) column
is at a very high level of 39.8%.  This exceeds the 34% return sustained
during 1995, and this highest return level sustained in any other month
during the past 11 years.  The 39.8% return is in the top 2% of all real
annual returns registered over the past 31 years.  Returns exceeding 39%
haven't been seen since 1983, in fact.

CONCLUSION: We're very near a top, unless (1) the market becomes
comfortable with even higher P/E levels, or (2) earnings continue
to grow and effectively lower the trailing P/E, making
room for further upward adjustments in price.

DATE     SPX     PE    DIV  TBILL TBOND   CPI INFLAT%  EPGR   SPXR
9707  916.92   22.8    1.7    5.1  6.6    160    2.0   15.9   39.8
9706  858.01   21.3    1.8    4.9  6.8    160    2.2   15.7   27.4
9705  812.97   21.0    1.9    5.2  6.9    160    2.2   11.5   26.7
9704  757.90   19.6    2.0    5.2  7.1    160    2.5   11.0   15.3
9703  804.97   20.8    1.9    5.1  6.8    160    2.5   10.9   24.6
9702  789.56   21.9    1.9    5.0  6.7    159    3.0   -0.6   23.2
9701  748.03   20.8    2.0    5.1  6.7    159    3.0   -1.8   20.4
9612  739.60   20.5    2.0    5.0  6.5    159    3.3   -1.3   20.1
9611  703.77   20.2    2.1    5.0  6.7    159    3.3   -1.8   18.2
9610  701.46   20.1    2.1    5.0  6.7    158    3.0   -1.5   19.7
9609  655.68   18.8    2.3    5.2  7.1    158    3.0   -2.2   15.7
9608  662.49   19.5    2.2    5.2  6.7    157    2.9    1.5   17.9
9607  657.44   19.3    2.2    5.1  7.2    157    3.2    1.3   17.4
9606  673.31   19.8    2.2    5.1  7.0    157    3.0    1.3   26.0
9605  641.63   18.9    2.2    5.0  7.1    157    3.1    7.5   22.8
9604  655.86   19.3    2.2    5.1  6.8    156    3.2    7.4   28.8
9603  644.37   18.9    2.2    4.9  6.4    156    2.8    8.2   32.7
9602  635.84   18.1    2.2    5.0  6.2    154    2.3   25.7   33.5
9601  616.71   17.3    2.3    5.0  6.0    154    2.7   26.8   34.1
9512  609.98   17.3    2.3    5.3  6.1    153    2.5   25.9   35.1
9511  590.57   17.1    2.4    5.3  6.3    154    2.6   33.1   28.0
9510  582.49   16.9    2.4    5.1  6.5    154    2.8   32.9   28.1
9509  563.84   16.3    2.5    5.3  6.1    153    2.5   34.0   20.0
9508  559.94   17.2    2.5    5.4  6.9    153    2.6   40.0   22.8
9507  556.37   17.1    2.5    5.5  6.5    152    2.6   40.0   25.1
9506  532.51   16.3    2.6    5.6  6.5    152    2.8   40.1   15.7
9505  520.12   17.0    2.6    5.7  7.0    152    3.0   36.0   16.1
9504  506.42   16.5    2.7    5.8  7.4    151    2.7   35.9   13.5
9503  485.42   15.8    2.8    5.7  7.6    151    2.9   34.5    4.4
9502  478.64   17.5    2.8    5.8  7.6    151    2.9   30.2    1.7
9501  460.68   16.9    2.9    5.8  7.8    150    2.8   30.1   -2.1
9412  453.30   16.6    2.9    5.4  8.0    150    2.7   30.5   -2.5
9411  462.28   18.3    2.8    5.1  8.0    150    2.7   27.0    0.7
9410  455.10   18.1    2.9    4.9  7.8    149    2.6   27.0   -1.2
9409  470.99   18.7    2.8    4.6  7.5    149    3.2   26.3    1.6
9408  457.09   20.1    2.8    4.3  7.5    149    2.9   11.2    1.8
9407  446.20   19.6    2.9    4.2  7.5    148    2.8   11.4    0.1
9406  460.13   20.3    2.8    4.2  7.4    148    2.5   11.3    2.5
9405  447.82   20.5    2.9    4.0  7.8    147    2.3   12.0    1.8
9404  447.10   20.4    2.9    3.6  7.2    147    2.4   12.3    1.8
9403  464.74   21.0    2.8    3.4  6.7    147    2.5   12.1    4.5
9402  469.81   23.0    2.7    3.0  6.3    147    2.5   10.4    4.9
9401  469.90   23.0    2.7    3.1  6.3    146    2.5   10.4   10.0
9312  464.89   22.8    2.7    3.1  6.3    146    2.7   10.1    7.8
9311  459.57   23.8    2.7    3.1  6.0    146    2.7   10.4   10.4
9310  461.29   23.9    2.7    2.9  6.1    146    2.8   10.3   12.7
9309  461.34   23.9    2.7    3.0  6.2    145    2.5   10.7   11.2
9308  448.68   22.6    2.8    3.1  6.6    145    2.8   19.3    7.3
9307  445.84   22.5    2.8    3.0  6.8    144    2.8   19.2    8.5
9306  450.06   22.7    2.8    3.1  7.0    144    3.0   17.9    8.9
9305  442.30   23.2    2.8    2.9  6.9    144    3.2   15.8    7.0
9304  441.39   23.1    2.8    3.0  6.8    144    3.2   15.9    9.7
9303  446.11   23.2    2.8    3.0  6.9    144    3.1   15.9   10.2
9302  448.93   24.9    2.8    3.0  7.2    143    3.2   -2.0    8.9
9301  429.04   23.8    2.9    3.1  7.4    143    3.3   -2.3    2.0
9212  432.06   23.9    2.9    3.3  7.6    142    2.9   -2.2   14.3
9211  417.58   24.5    3.0    3.0  7.6    142    3.0  -15.0    6.8
9210  410.47   24.1    3.1    2.7  7.4    142    3.2  -15.1    7.7
9209  417.08   24.5    3.0    3.2  7.4    141    3.0  -15.1    7.3
9208  418.87   25.9    3.0    3.2  7.5    141    3.1  -25.2    8.2
9207  411.77   25.4    3.0    3.6  7.8    140    3.2  -25.2   10.2
9206  413.47   25.3    3.0    3.8  7.9    140    3.1  -24.5    9.1
9205  412.53   25.8    3.0    3.7  8.0    140    3.0  -27.4    8.5
9204  401.55   25.1    3.0    4.1  8.0    139    3.2  -27.6    7.1
9203  404.44   25.1    3.0    4.0  7.9    139    3.2  -27.7    9.3
9202  411.08   23.1    3.0    3.9  7.7    139    2.8  -20.3   20.8
9201  419.33   23.4    2.9    3.9  7.5    138    2.6  -19.8   32.2
9112  379.09   21.1    3.2    4.4  8.0    138    3.1  -20.0   16.4
9111  391.32   20.1    3.1    5.0  8.1    138    3.0  -11.1   26.6
9110  381.24   19.6    3.2    5.1  7.9    137    2.9  -11.1   23.6
9109  389.10   20.0    3.1    5.3  8.1    137    3.4  -11.7   20.8
9108  387.18   18.4    3.1    5.6  8.4    137    3.8   -6.7   12.0
9107  374.08   17.8    3.2    5.6  8.5    136    4.4   -7.3    3.3
9106  379.43   18.1    3.2    5.6  8.3    136    4.7   -7.4    3.1
9105  380.80   17.8    3.2    5.6  8.2    136    5.0  -11.0   11.0
9104  375.35   17.6    3.2    6.0  8.3    135    4.9  -10.9    8.9
9103  370.46   17.1    3.3    6.0  8.0    135    5.1  -10.2    8.8
9102  343.05   15.8    3.6    6.2  8.2    135    5.3  -12.9    1.9
9101  321.00   14.8    3.8    6.5  8.3    135    5.7  -13.2  -10.9
9012  327.75   15.1    3.8    7.1  8.4    134    6.1  -13.2   -9.0
9011  311.85   14.7    3.9    7.1  8.8    134    6.3  -20.7  -10.1
9010  311.50   14.7    3.9    7.2  9.1    133    6.3  -20.7  -13.3
9009  323.40   15.2    3.8    7.4  9.0    133    6.2  -20.5  -11.1
9008  344.86   15.9    3.5    7.5  8.5    132    5.6  -18.7   -2.2
9007  358.42   16.5    3.4    7.7  8.5    130    4.8  -15.4    8.8
9006  363.16   16.8    3.3    7.8  8.6    130    4.7  -17.7   10.9
9005  338.39   14.8    3.5    7.9  9.0    129    4.4  -12.1    6.9
9004  340.08   14.9    3.5    7.8  8.5    129    4.7   -9.7   11.3
9003  335.54   14.7    3.5    8.0  8.6    128    5.1   -8.1   13.3
9002  330.92   14.0    3.5    7.8  8.4    128    5.3   -6.0   10.5
9001  352.19   14.8    3.3    7.6  8.0    127    5.2   -5.9   21.8
8912  350.63   14.8    3.3    7.6  7.9    126    4.6   -4.6   25.2
8911  337.62   13.4    3.4    7.8  7.9    126    4.7    1.8   23.2
8910  349.15   13.8    3.3    7.7  8.1    126    4.5    2.0   24.7
8909  353.73   14.0    3.2    7.7  8.2    125    4.3   15.7   30.6
8908  344.73   13.7    3.3    7.9  7.9    125    4.7   15.1   29.0
8907  324.90   13.3    3.4    7.9  8.3    124    5.0   11.1   19.0
8906  323.75   12.9    3.5    8.2  8.5    124    5.2   11.5   17.6
8905  313.93   12.6    3.5    8.4  8.9    124    5.4   10.3   20.5
8904  302.33   12.5    3.6    8.7  9.2    123    5.1    7.2   13.3
8903  292.09   12.3    3.7    8.8  9.3    122    5.0   18.5    8.3
8902  294.01   12.3    3.3    8.5  9.1    122    4.8   19.7   12.5
8901  284.28   11.9    3.4    8.3  9.1    121    4.7   19.9   13.0
8812  276.98   11.7    3.5    8.1  9.1    120    4.4   32.9   14.2
8811  271.30   11.5    3.6    7.7  9.0    120    4.2   33.1   10.1
8810  277.40   11.7    3.5    7.3  8.9    120    4.3   33.0   -2.0
8809  268.59   12.8    3.5    7.2  9.1    120    4.2   28.0  -16.9
8808  264.20   12.6    3.5    7.0  9.3    119    4.0   28.2  -20.8
8807  269.04   12.8    3.5    6.7  9.2    118    4.2   28.1  -14.4
8806  270.68   12.6    3.4    6.5  9.0    118    3.9   44.3  -11.1
8805  256.11   11.9    3.6    6.3  9.2    117    3.9   44.3  -12.2
8804  262.61   12.2    3.5    5.9  8.9    117    3.9   44.4  -10.0
8803  265.74   13.9    3.5    5.7  8.6    116    3.9   21.3  -10.0
8802  258.12   13.5    3.6    5.7  8.4    116    3.9   21.3   -8.9
8801  249.18   13.1    3.7    5.9  8.9    116    4.1   21.1   -6.6
8712  240.96   14.1    3.7    5.8  9.1    115    4.4    9.9   -4.0
8711  245.00   14.4    3.7    5.8  9.0    115    4.5    9.8   -1.1
8710  280.15   16.4    3.2    6.4  9.6    115    4.5    9.8   16.9
8709  318.66   20.3    2.8    6.3  9.6    115    4.3   -1.5   32.6
8708  329.35   21.0    2.7    6.0  9.0    114    4.3   -1.5   33.2
8707  310.09   19.7    2.8    5.8  8.7    114    3.9   -1.2   28.5
8706  301.37   21.1    2.9    5.7  8.6    114    3.7   -4.1   22.4
8705  289.12   20.2    3.0    5.8  8.8    113    3.8   -4.2   20.8
8704  289.31   20.2    3.0    5.8  8.3    113    3.8   -4.3   21.1
8703  292.46   19.3    2.9    5.6  7.6    112    3.0    4.0   26.4
8702  280.92   18.6    3.0    5.6  7.7    112    2.1    4.9   30.1
8701  264.50   17.5    3.2    5.5  7.6    111    1.4    5.7   30.1
8612  248.61   16.7    3.4    5.5  7.7    111    1.1    2.6   23.2
8611  245.08   16.5    3.4    5.3  7.8    110    1.3    2.5   27.5
8610  237.36   16.0    3.5    5.2  8.0    110    1.5    2.2   30.9
8609  238.26   15.6    3.4    5.2  8.1    110    1.8   -2.4   32.7
8608  244.99   16.0    3.4    5.6  7.7    110    1.6   -2.1   33.5
8607  240.18   15.7    3.4    5.8  7.9    109    1.6   -2.2   27.9
8606  245.30   17.1    3.4    6.2  8.2    109    1.7   -8.0   33.0
8605  238.46   16.6    3.4    6.1  8.0    109    1.6   -7.8   32.5
8604  237.98   16.5    3.4    6.1  7.6    109    1.6   -7.9   35.3
8603  232.32   16.4    3.5    6.6  8.1    109    2.3  -15.2   32.2
8602  219.37   15.5    3.7    7.0  9.1    109    3.2  -15.9   22.6
8601  208.19   14.7    3.9    7.0  9.5    110    3.9  -16.5   22.0

-- 
--
| Gary Funck,  Intrepid Technology, gary@xxxxxxxxxxxx, (415) 964-8135