The Hunan Haili Chemical Industry Co.,Ltd. (SHSE:600731) share price has fared very poorly over the last month, falling by a substantial 28%. The drop over the last 30 days has capped off a tough year for shareholders, with the share price down 43% in that time.

Following the heavy fall in price, Hunan Haili Chemical IndustryLtd may be sending very bullish signals at the moment with its price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 8.6x, since almost half of all companies in China have P/E ratios greater than 25x and even P/E's higher than 44x are not unusual. However, the P/E might be quite low for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

For instance, Hunan Haili Chemical IndustryLtd's receding earnings in recent times would have to be some food for thought. It might be that many expect the disappointing earnings performance to continue or accelerate, which has repressed the P/E. If you like the company, you'd be hoping this isn't the case so that you could potentially pick up some stock while it's out of favour.

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 Hunan Haili Chemical IndustryLtd's is when the company's growth is on track to lag the market decidedly.

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 24%. This has erased any of its gains during the last three years, with practically no change in EPS being achieved in total. Accordingly, shareholders probably wouldn't have been overly satisfied with the unstable medium-term growth rates.

Weighing that recent medium-term earnings trajectory against the broader market's one-year forecast for expansion of 42% shows it's noticeably less attractive on an annualised basis.

In light of this, it's understandable that Hunan Haili Chemical IndustryLtd'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 Hunan Haili Chemical IndustryLtd's P/E

Shares in Hunan Haili Chemical IndustryLtd have plummeted and its P/E is now low enough to touch the ground. 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 Hunan Haili Chemical IndustryLtd 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. If recent medium-term earnings trends continue, it's hard to see the share price rising strongly in the near future under these circumstances.

You always need to take note of risks, for example - Hunan Haili Chemical IndustryLtd has 2 warning signs we think you should be aware of.

If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on Hunan Haili Chemical IndustryLtd, 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.