With a price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 19x Ningbo Jianan Electronics Co.,Ltd (SZSE:300880) may be sending bullish signals at the moment, given that almost half of all companies in China have P/E ratios greater than 29x and even P/E's higher than 54x are not unusual. However, the P/E might be low for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.
With earnings growth that's exceedingly strong of late, Ningbo Jianan ElectronicsLtd has been doing very well. It might be that many expect the strong earnings performance to degrade substantially, which has repressed the P/E. If that doesn't eventuate, then existing shareholders have reason to be quite optimistic about the future direction of the share price.
View our latest analysis for Ningbo Jianan ElectronicsLtd
Want the full picture on earnings, revenue and cash flow for the company? Then our free report on Ningbo Jianan ElectronicsLtd will help you shine a light on its historical performance.Ningbo Jianan ElectronicsLtd's P/E ratio would be typical for a company that's only expected to deliver limited growth, and importantly, perform worse than the market.
If we review the last year of earnings growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 30%. Pleasingly, EPS has also lifted 95% in aggregate from three years ago, thanks to the last 12 months of growth. So we can start by confirming that the company has done a great job of growing earnings over that time.
Weighing that recent medium-term earnings trajectory against the broader market's one-year forecast for expansion of 36% shows it's noticeably less attractive on an annualised basis.
In light of this, it's understandable that Ningbo Jianan ElectronicsLtd's P/E sits below the majority of other companies. It seems most investors are expecting to see the recent limited growth rates continue into the future and are only willing to pay a reduced amount for the stock.
Using the price-to-earnings ratio alone to determine if you should sell your stock isn't sensible, however it can be a practical guide to the company's future prospects.
As we suspected, our examination of Ningbo Jianan ElectronicsLtd revealed its three-year earnings trends are contributing to its low P/E, given they look worse than current market expectations. Right now shareholders are accepting the low P/E as they concede future earnings probably won't provide any pleasant surprises. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve, they will continue to form a barrier for the share price around these levels.
Before you settle on your opinion, we've discovered 2 warning signs for Ningbo Jianan ElectronicsLtd that you should be aware of.
If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on Ningbo Jianan ElectronicsLtd, explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there.
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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.