To the annoyance of some shareholders, Perion Network Ltd. (NASDAQ:PERI) shares are down a considerable 27% in the last month, which continues a horrid run for the company. For any long-term shareholders, the last month ends a year to forget by locking in a 75% share price decline.

Although its price has dipped substantially, given about half the companies in the United States have price-to-earnings ratios (or "P/E's") above 17x, you may still consider Perion Network as a highly attractive investment with its 4x P/E ratio. 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 that are retreating more than the market's of late, Perion Network has been very sluggish. It seems that many are expecting the dismal earnings performance to persist, which has repressed the P/E. You'd much rather the company wasn't bleeding earnings if you still believe in the business. Or at the very least, you'd be hoping the earnings slide doesn't get any worse if your plan is to pick up some stock while it's out of favour.

How Is Perion Network's Growth Trending?

There's an inherent assumption that a company should far underperform the market for P/E ratios like Perion Network's to be considered reasonable.

If we review the last year of earnings, dishearteningly the company's profits fell to the tune of 6.4%. Still, the latest three year period has seen an excellent 402% overall rise in EPS, in spite of its unsatisfying short-term performance. Although it's been a bumpy ride, it's still fair to say the earnings growth recently has been more than adequate for the company.

Turning to the outlook, the next year should bring diminished returns, with earnings decreasing 75% as estimated by the six analysts watching the company. With the market predicted to deliver 13% growth , that's a disappointing outcome.

With this information, we are not surprised that Perion Network is trading at a P/E lower than the market. However, shrinking earnings are unlikely to lead to a stable P/E over the longer term. There's potential for the P/E to fall to even lower levels if the company doesn't improve its profitability.

The Key Takeaway

Perion Network's P/E looks about as weak as its stock price lately. While the price-to-earnings ratio shouldn't be the defining factor in whether you buy a stock or not, it's quite a capable barometer of earnings expectations.

We've established that Perion Network maintains its low P/E on the weakness of its forecast for sliding earnings, as expected. Right now shareholders are accepting the low P/E as they concede future earnings probably won't provide any pleasant surprises. It's hard to see the share price rising strongly in the near future under these circumstances.

Plus, you should also learn about these 3 warning signs we've spotted with Perion Network (including 1 which is potentially serious).

You might be able to find a better investment than Perion Network. 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.