Multifield International Holdings Limited (HKG:898) shares have had a really impressive month, gaining 26% after a shaky period beforehand. Unfortunately, despite the strong performance over the last month, the full year gain of 3.8% isn't as attractive.

Although its price has surged higher, Multifield International Holdings' price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 3.6x might still make it look like a strong buy right now compared to the market in Hong Kong, where around half of the companies have P/E ratios above 10x and even P/E's above 20x are quite common. However, the P/E might be quite low for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

For instance, Multifield International Holdings' receding earnings in recent times would have to be some food for thought. One possibility is that the P/E is low because investors think the company won't do enough to avoid underperforming the broader market in the near future. However, if this doesn't eventuate then existing shareholders may be feeling optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

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 Multifield International Holdings' is when the company's growth is on track to lag the market decidedly.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 33% decrease to the company's bottom line. The last three years don't look nice either as the company has shrunk EPS by 26% in aggregate. So unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that the company has not done a great job of growing earnings over that time.

Weighing that medium-term earnings trajectory against the broader market's one-year forecast for expansion of 22% shows it's an unpleasant look.

With this information, we are not surprised that Multifield International Holdings is trading at a P/E lower than the market. Nonetheless, there's no guarantee the P/E has reached a floor yet with earnings going in reverse. Even just maintaining these prices could be difficult to achieve as recent earnings trends are already weighing down the shares.

The Bottom Line On Multifield International Holdings' P/E

Even after such a strong price move, Multifield International Holdings' P/E still trails the rest of the market significantly. 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.

We've established that Multifield International Holdings maintains its low P/E on the weakness of its sliding earnings over the medium-term, as expected. At this stage investors feel the potential for an improvement in earnings isn't great enough to justify a higher P/E ratio. If recent medium-term earnings trends continue, it's hard to see the share price moving strongly in either direction in the near future under these circumstances.

You need to take note of risks, for example - Multifield International Holdings has 5 warning signs (and 1 which makes us a bit uncomfortable) we think you should know about.

Of course, you might also be able to find a better stock than Multifield International Holdings. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have reasonable P/E ratios and have grown earnings strongly.

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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.