With a price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 15.6x Shanghai Chlor-Alkali Chemical Co., Ltd. (SHSE:600618) may be sending very bullish signals at the moment, given that almost half of all companies in China have P/E ratios greater than 36x and even P/E's higher than 65x are not unusual. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/E at face value as there may be an explanation why it's so limited.

For example, consider that Shanghai Chlor-Alkali Chemical's financial performance has been poor lately as its earnings have been in decline. It might be that many expect the disappointing earnings performance to continue or accelerate, which has repressed the P/E. However, if this doesn't eventuate then existing shareholders may be feeling optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

See our latest analysis for Shanghai Chlor-Alkali Chemical

What Are Growth Metrics Telling Us About The Low P/E?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/E as depressed as Shanghai Chlor-Alkali Chemical's is when the company's growth is on track to lag the market decidedly.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 62% decrease to the company's bottom line. However, a few very strong years before that means that it was still able to grow EPS by an impressive 30% in total over the last three years. So we can start by confirming that the company has generally done a very good job of growing earnings over that time, even though it had some hiccups along the way.

Weighing that recent medium-term earnings trajectory against the broader market's one-year forecast for expansion of 43% shows it's noticeably less attractive on an annualised basis.

In light of this, it's understandable that Shanghai Chlor-Alkali Chemical's P/E sits below the majority of other companies. Apparently many shareholders weren't comfortable holding on to something they believe will continue to trail the bourse.

The Bottom Line On Shanghai Chlor-Alkali Chemical's P/E

Generally, our preference is to limit the use of the price-to-earnings ratio to establishing what the market thinks about the overall health of a company.

We've established that Shanghai Chlor-Alkali Chemical maintains its low P/E on the weakness of its recent three-year growth being lower than the wider market forecast, as expected. 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.

Don't forget that there may be other risks. For instance, we've identified 4 warning signs for Shanghai Chlor-Alkali Chemical that you should be aware of.

If you're unsure about the strength of Shanghai Chlor-Alkali Chemical's business, why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals for some other companies you may have missed.

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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.