When close to half the companies in China have price-to-earnings ratios (or "P/E's") above 32x, you may consider Hang Xiao Steel Structure Co.,Ltd (SHSE:600477) as an attractive investment with its 23.1x P/E ratio. However, the P/E might be low for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

With earnings growth that's superior to most other companies of late, Hang Xiao Steel StructureLtd has been doing relatively well. One possibility is that the P/E is low because investors think this strong earnings performance might be less impressive moving forward. If not, then existing shareholders have reason to be quite optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

How Is Hang Xiao Steel StructureLtd's Growth Trending?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/E as low as Hang Xiao Steel StructureLtd's is when the company's growth is on track to lag the market.

If we review the last year of earnings growth, the company posted a worthy increase of 2.5%. Ultimately though, it couldn't turn around the poor performance of the prior period, with EPS shrinking 68% in total over the last three years. Therefore, it's fair to say the earnings growth recently has been undesirable for the company.

Looking ahead now, EPS is anticipated to climb by 43% during the coming year according to the three analysts following the company. Meanwhile, the rest of the market is forecast to expand by 39%, which is not materially different.

In light of this, it's peculiar that Hang Xiao Steel StructureLtd's P/E sits below the majority of other companies. Apparently some shareholders are doubtful of the forecasts and have been accepting lower selling prices.

What We Can Learn From Hang Xiao Steel StructureLtd's P/E?

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.

Our examination of Hang Xiao Steel StructureLtd's analyst forecasts revealed that its market-matching earnings outlook isn't contributing to its P/E as much as we would have predicted. When we see an average earnings outlook with market-like growth, we assume potential risks are what might be placing pressure on the P/E ratio. At least the risk of a price drop looks to be subdued, but investors seem to think future earnings could see some volatility.

Having said that, be aware Hang Xiao Steel StructureLtd is showing 3 warning signs in our investment analysis, and 2 of those are significant.

It's important to make sure you look for a great company, not just the first idea you come across. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and a low P/E).

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.