Central Securities (CET) recently reported half year earnings for the period ended June 30, 2026, with net income of US$56.54 million. This update gives investors fresh insight into the closed end fund’s current portfolio results.

The earnings update appears to have supported Central Securities’ recent momentum, with the share price up 1.95% over the last day and showing a 7.39% year to date share price return. The 5 year total shareholder return of 75.45% points to solid longer term compounding.

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Central Securities has delivered strong long term returns, and the latest earnings update kept that story in focus. After this recent move, the real question is whether the current share price still offers value.

Price to Earnings of 6.1x for Central Securities: Is it justified?

Central Securities closed at $54.48 while trading on a P/E of 6.1x, which suggests the stock is priced well below many peers in its sector.

The P/E multiple compares the current share price to the company’s earnings per share and is a common way investors assess how much they are paying for each dollar of profit. For an investment company like Central Securities, this gives a quick sense of how the market is valuing its current profit stream.

According to the latest assessment, Central Securities is considered good value on this measure. Its P/E of 6.1x is described as attractive relative to both its Capital Markets industry peers and a narrower peer group. At the same time, investors should keep in mind that recent earnings include a large one off gain of $240.9m, and earnings over the past year declined 7.9%, while profit margins are lower than a year ago.

The comparison with peers is clear. Central Securities trades on a P/E of 6.1x, versus 37.5x for the broader US Capital Markets industry and 13.8x for its peer average. That is a steep discount and indicates the market is assigning a much lower earnings multiple than is typical for similar companies.

Result: Price-to-Earnings of 6.1x (UNDERVALUED)

However, Central Securities still faces risks if future earnings look less repeatable without large one off gains, or if sentiment toward closed end funds weakens.

Another View on Central Securities Using a DCF Check

The low 6.1x P/E suggests Central Securities could be undervalued, but a different method tells an even stronger story. Our DCF model compares the $54.48 share price to an estimate of future cash flow value of $158.13, which also points to undervaluation. The question is how much weight you give that long term cash flow view.

Simply Wall St performs a discounted cash flow (DCF) on every stock in the world every day (check out Central Securities for example). We show the entire calculation in full. You can track the result in your watchlist or portfolio and be alerted when this changes, or use our stock screener to discover 53 high quality undervalued stocks. If you save a screener we even alert you when new companies match - so you never miss a potential opportunity.

Next Steps

Seen enough to form an early view on Central Securities, or still weighing both the risks and rewards that investors are flagging? To pressure test that view against fresh data and sentiment, check the 1 key reward and 3 important warning signs

Looking for more investment ideas beyond Central Securities?

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.