Shanghai Jahwa United Co., Ltd.'s (SHSE:600315) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 25.4x might 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 35x and even P/E's above 65x 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.

Shanghai Jahwa United's negative earnings growth of late has neither been better nor worse than most other companies. One possibility is that the P/E is low because investors think the company's earnings may begin to slide even faster. If you still like the company, you'd want its earnings trajectory to turn around before making any decisions. At the very least, you'd be hoping that earnings don't fall off a cliff if your plan is to pick up some stock while it's out of favour.

Check out our latest analysis for Shanghai Jahwa United

Is There Any Growth For Shanghai Jahwa United?

In order to justify its P/E ratio, Shanghai Jahwa United would need to produce sluggish growth that's trailing the market.

Taking a look back first, we see that there was hardly any earnings per share growth to speak of for the company over the past year. Still, the latest three year period has seen an excellent 69% overall rise in EPS, in spite of its uninspiring short-term performance. Therefore, it's fair to say the earnings growth recently has been superb for the company.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the analysts covering the company suggest earnings should grow by 25% over the next year. With the market predicted to deliver 44% growth , the company is positioned for a weaker earnings result.

With this information, we can see why Shanghai Jahwa United is trading at a P/E lower than the market. It seems most investors are expecting to see limited future growth and are only willing to pay a reduced amount for the stock.

What We Can Learn From Shanghai Jahwa United's P/E?

Typically, we'd caution against reading too much into price-to-earnings ratios when settling on investment decisions, though it can reveal plenty about what other market participants think about the company.

As we suspected, our examination of Shanghai Jahwa United's analyst forecasts revealed that its inferior earnings outlook is contributing to its low P/E. 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.

It's always necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 1 warning sign with Shanghai Jahwa United, and understanding should be part of your investment process.

You might be able to find a better investment than Shanghai Jahwa United. 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.