Jilin Sino-Microelectronics Co., Ltd. (SHSE:600360) shareholders that were waiting for something to happen have been dealt a blow with a 38% 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 49% in that time.

Even after such a large drop in price, Jilin Sino-Microelectronics' price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 71.6x might still make it look like a strong sell right now compared to the market in China, where around half of the companies have P/E ratios below 32x and even P/E's below 20x are quite common. However, the P/E might be quite high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

Earnings have risen firmly for Jilin Sino-Microelectronics recently, which is pleasing to see. One possibility is that the P/E is high because investors think this respectable earnings growth will be enough to outperform the broader market in the near future. If not, then existing shareholders may be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.

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

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/E as steep as Jilin Sino-Microelectronics' is when the company's growth is on track to outshine the market decidedly.

If we review the last year of earnings growth, the company posted a worthy increase of 13%. EPS has also lifted 23% in aggregate from three years ago, partly thanks to the last 12 months of growth. So we can start by confirming that the company has actually done a good job of growing earnings over that time.

Comparing that to the market, which is predicted to deliver 38% growth in the next 12 months, the company's momentum is weaker based on recent medium-term annualised earnings results.

In light of this, it's alarming that Jilin Sino-Microelectronics' P/E sits above the majority of other companies. Apparently many investors in the company are way more bullish than recent times would indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock at any price. There's a good chance existing shareholders are setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/E falls to levels more in line with recent growth rates.

The Key Takeaway

A significant share price dive has done very little to deflate Jilin Sino-Microelectronics' very lofty 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.

Our examination of Jilin Sino-Microelectronics revealed its three-year earnings trends aren't impacting its high P/E anywhere near as much as we would have predicted, given they look worse than current market expectations. When we see weak earnings with slower than market growth, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, sending the high P/E lower. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve markedly, it's very challenging to accept these prices as being reasonable.

You always need to take note of risks, for example - Jilin Sino-Microelectronics has 2 warning signs we think you should be aware of.

If you're unsure about the strength of Jilin Sino-Microelectronics' 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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