Why PE ratio soared till financial crisis in 2008

We all know why the PE ratio was high at 2000. The dot-com companies were simply overvalued. But why did PE ratio increase till the financial crisis in 2008? Was it because of the housing bubble? What kind of companies were overvalued? The banks that lend the house owners?

7 Comments
 

You can easily google an in depth explanation.

Simple answer: It increased the same way all asset bubbles are created with way too much money in the system, not enough quality deals, and a lack of fear----A pint of sweat will save a gallon of blood

"Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, for knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed, you mark my words, will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA."
 
Gekko21You can easily google an in depth explanation.

Simple answer: It increased the same way all asset bubbles are created with way too much money in the system, not enough quality deals, and a lack of fear----A pint of sweat will save a gallon of blood

Can anyone specifically tell me what kind of stocks were overvalued? I'm guessing the finance sector/housing...

Also, why did PE ratio stay in range till 1990? Were investors generally more cautious with their valuation?

I tried google but didn't find any specific answer except why it collapsed (for 2008- financial crisis).

 

P/E is also just one multiple of many don't forget. It can grow due to an increase in P or a decrease in E or some combination of both. Don't try to read too much into it as an aggregated statistic. But, yes if you are looking for a general explanation see above.

 

Eligendi voluptas ipsum et. Id ducimus quod sit consequatur voluptas aut rerum. Magnam et et aspernatur quo et expedita optio. Eum ipsam enim repellendus nesciunt. Magni et vero dicta incidunt est vel distinctio. Voluptas doloremque facilis et aspernatur est est.

Eveniet laboriosam porro consequatur qui qui. Nulla rem possimus dolor est ut occaecati cumque. Et vero voluptatem nihil qui. Autem perspiciatis hic laboriosam sed. Nihil vero aut tempore culpa ut qui.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.2%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.2%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.6%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.2%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (43) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (75) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (67) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”