Canature Health Technology Co., Ltd. (SZSE:300272) shareholders that were waiting for something to happen have been dealt a blow with a 29% share price drop in the last month. The drop over the last 30 days has capped off a tough year for shareholders, with the share price down 25% in that time.

Although its price has dipped substantially, Canature Health Technology's price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 18.8x might still make it look like a buy right now compared to the market in China, where around half of the companies have P/E ratios above 28x and even P/E's above 50x are quite common. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/E at face value as there may be an explanation why it's limited.

The earnings growth achieved at Canature Health Technology over the last year would be more than acceptable for most companies. It might be that many expect the respectable earnings performance to degrade substantially, which has repressed the P/E. If that doesn't eventuate, then existing shareholders have reason to be optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

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

In order to justify its P/E ratio, Canature Health Technology would need to produce sluggish growth that's trailing the market.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered an exceptional 20% gain to the company's bottom line. The latest three year period has also seen an excellent 39% overall rise in EPS, aided by its short-term performance. 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 41% shows it's noticeably less attractive on an annualised basis.

In light of this, it's understandable that Canature Health Technology'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.

The Final Word

Canature Health Technology's P/E has taken a tumble along with its share price. It's argued the price-to-earnings ratio is an inferior measure of value within certain industries, but it can be a powerful business sentiment indicator.

We've established that Canature Health Technology 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.

There are also other vital risk factors to consider and we've discovered 2 warning signs for Canature Health Technology (1 is concerning!) that you should be aware of before investing here.

You might be able to find a better investment than Canature Health Technology. If you want a selection of possible candidates, check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a low P/E (but have proven they can grow earnings).

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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.