With a price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 11.4x Shanghai Chengtou Holding Co.,Ltd (SHSE:600649) may be sending very bullish signals at the moment, given that almost half of all companies in China have P/E ratios greater than 33x and even P/E's higher than 59x are not unusual. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the highly reduced P/E.

With earnings growth that's exceedingly strong of late, Shanghai Chengtou HoldingLtd has been doing very well. One possibility is that the P/E is low because investors think this strong earnings growth might actually underperform the broader market in the near future. If that doesn't eventuate, then existing shareholders have reason to be quite optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

Check out our latest analysis for Shanghai Chengtou HoldingLtd

Does Growth Match The Low P/E?

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

Retrospectively, the last year delivered an exceptional 73% gain to the company's bottom line. Pleasingly, EPS has also lifted 83% in aggregate from three years ago, thanks to the last 12 months of growth. Therefore, it's fair to say the earnings growth recently has been superb for the company.

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 Chengtou HoldingLtd'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 Chengtou HoldingLtd's P/E

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.

We've established that Shanghai Chengtou HoldingLtd maintains its low P/E on the weakness of its recent three-year growth being lower than the wider market forecast, as expected. At this stage investors feel the potential for an improvement in earnings isn't great enough to justify a higher P/E ratio. If recent medium-term earnings trends continue, it's hard to see the share price rising strongly in the near future under these circumstances.

It is also worth noting that we have found 3 warning signs for Shanghai Chengtou HoldingLtd (2 are concerning!) that you need to take into consideration.

It's important to make sure you look for a great company, not just the first idea you come across. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and a low P/E).

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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.