With a price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 27.9x Tangshan Sanyou Chemical Industries Co.,Ltd (SHSE:600409) may be sending bullish signals at the moment, given that almost half of all companies in China have P/E ratios greater than 32x and even P/E's higher than 58x 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 limited.

Recent times haven't been advantageous for Tangshan Sanyou Chemical IndustriesLtd as its earnings have been falling quicker than most other companies. It seems that many are expecting the dismal earnings performance to persist, which has repressed the P/E. If you still like the company, you'd want its earnings trajectory to turn around before making any decisions. If not, then existing shareholders will probably struggle to get excited about the future direction of the share price.

See our latest analysis for Tangshan Sanyou Chemical IndustriesLtd

How Is Tangshan Sanyou Chemical IndustriesLtd's Growth Trending?

In order to justify its P/E ratio, Tangshan Sanyou Chemical IndustriesLtd would need to produce sluggish growth that's trailing the market.

Taking a look back first, the company's earnings per share growth last year wasn't something to get excited about as it posted a disappointing decline of 65%. However, a few very strong years before that means that it was still able to grow EPS by an impressive 106% in total over the last three years. Accordingly, while they would have preferred to keep the run going, shareholders would probably welcome the medium-term rates of earnings growth.

Turning to the outlook, the next year should generate growth of 199% as estimated by the three analysts watching the company. With the market only predicted to deliver 43%, the company is positioned for a stronger earnings result.

With this information, we find it odd that Tangshan Sanyou Chemical IndustriesLtd is trading at a P/E lower than the market. It looks like most investors are not convinced at all that the company can achieve future growth expectations.

The Final Word

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.

Our examination of Tangshan Sanyou Chemical IndustriesLtd's analyst forecasts revealed that its superior earnings outlook isn't contributing to its P/E anywhere near as much as we would have predicted. There could be some major unobserved threats to earnings preventing the P/E ratio from matching the positive outlook. It appears many are indeed anticipating earnings instability, because these conditions should normally provide a boost to the share price.

Before you take the next step, you should know about the 2 warning signs for Tangshan Sanyou Chemical IndustriesLtd that we have uncovered.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with a strong growth track record, trading on 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.