The Cscec Scimee Sci.&Tech. Co.,Ltd (SZSE:300425) share price has done very well over the last month, posting an excellent gain of 26%. The last 30 days bring the annual gain to a very sharp 25%.

Even after such a large jump in price, given about half the companies in China have price-to-earnings ratios (or "P/E's") above 30x, you may still consider Cscec Scimee Sci.&Tech.Ltd as an attractive investment with its 21.8x P/E ratio. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/E at face value as there may be an explanation why it's limited.

With earnings growth that's exceedingly strong of late, Cscec Scimee Sci.&Tech.Ltd has been doing very well. One possibility is that the P/E is low because investors think this strong earnings growth might actually underperform the broader market in the near future. If you like the company, you'd be hoping this isn't the case so that you could potentially pick up some stock while it's out of favour.

View our latest analysis for Cscec Scimee Sci.&Tech.Ltd

Does Growth Match The Low P/E?

Cscec Scimee Sci.&Tech.Ltd's P/E ratio would be typical for a company that's only expected to deliver limited growth, and importantly, perform worse than the market.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered an exceptional 38% gain to the company's bottom line. However, the latest three year period hasn't been as great in aggregate as it didn't manage to provide any growth at all. Therefore, it's fair to say that earnings growth has been inconsistent recently for the company.

Comparing that to the market, which is predicted to deliver 42% growth in the next 12 months, the company's momentum is weaker based on recent medium-term annualised earnings results.

With this information, we can see why Cscec Scimee Sci.&Tech.Ltd is trading at a P/E lower than the market. It seems most investors are expecting to see the recent limited growth rates continue into the future and are only willing to pay a reduced amount for the stock.

The Key Takeaway

Cscec Scimee Sci.&Tech.Ltd's stock might have been given a solid boost, but its P/E certainly hasn't reached any great heights. 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.

We've established that Cscec Scimee Sci.&Tech.Ltd maintains its low P/E on the weakness of its recent three-year growth being lower than the wider market forecast, as expected. Right now shareholders are accepting the low P/E as they concede future earnings probably won't provide any pleasant surprises. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve, they will continue to form a barrier for the share price around these levels.

It is also worth noting that we have found 2 warning signs for Cscec Scimee Sci.&Tech.Ltd that you need to take into consideration.

If you're unsure about the strength of Cscec Scimee Sci.&Tech.Ltd's business, why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals for some other companies you may have missed.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
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.