There wouldn't be many who think Shenzhen AV-Display Co., Ltd.'s (SZSE:300939) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 36.6x is worth a mention when the median P/E in China is similar at about 35x. Although, it's not wise to simply ignore the P/E without explanation as investors may be disregarding a distinct opportunity or a costly mistake.

For instance, Shenzhen AV-Display's receding earnings in recent times would have to be some food for thought. It might be that many expect the company to put the disappointing earnings performance behind them over the coming period, which has kept the P/E from falling. If you like the company, you'd at least be hoping this is the case so that you could potentially pick up some stock while it's not quite in favour.

See our latest analysis for Shenzhen AV-Display

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

There's an inherent assumption that a company should be matching the market for P/E ratios like Shenzhen AV-Display's to be considered reasonable.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 23% decrease to the company's bottom line. That put a dampener on the good run it was having over the longer-term as its three-year EPS growth is still a noteworthy 8.0% in total. Although it's been a bumpy ride, it's still fair to say the earnings growth recently has been mostly respectable for the company.

This is in contrast to the rest of the market, which is expected to grow by 44% over the next year, materially higher than the company's recent medium-term annualised growth rates.

With this information, we find it interesting that Shenzhen AV-Display is trading at a fairly similar P/E to the market. Apparently many investors in the company are less bearish than recent times would indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock right now. They may be setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/E falls to levels more in line with recent growth rates.

What We Can Learn From Shenzhen AV-Display's P/E?

We'd say the price-to-earnings ratio's power isn't primarily as a valuation instrument but rather to gauge current investor sentiment and future expectations.

Our examination of Shenzhen AV-Display revealed its three-year earnings trends aren't impacting its P/E 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 moderate P/E lower. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve, it's challenging to accept these prices as being reasonable.

Before you take the next step, you should know about the 3 warning signs for Shenzhen AV-Display (1 is a bit concerning!) that we have uncovered.

You might be able to find a better investment than Shenzhen AV-Display. 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.