The Mermaid Maritime Public Company Limited (SGX:DU4) share price has softened a substantial 28% over the previous 30 days, handing back much of the gains the stock has made lately. Looking at the bigger picture, even after this poor month the stock is up 58% in the last year.

In spite of the heavy fall in price, you could still be forgiven for feeling indifferent about Mermaid Maritime's P/E ratio of 11.7x, since the median price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio in Singapore is also close to 12x. However, investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/E.

Recent times have been quite advantageous for Mermaid Maritime as its earnings have been rising very briskly. It might be that many expect the strong earnings performance to wane, which has kept the P/E from rising. If that doesn't eventuate, then existing shareholders have reason to be feeling optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

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

The only time you'd be comfortable seeing a P/E like Mermaid Maritime's is when the company's growth is tracking the market closely.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew earnings per share by an impressive 354% last year. Still, EPS has barely risen at all from three years ago in total, which is not ideal. Accordingly, shareholders probably wouldn't have been overly satisfied with the unstable medium-term growth rates.

Weighing that recent medium-term earnings trajectory against the broader market's one-year forecast for expansion of 13% shows it's noticeably less attractive on an annualised basis.

In light of this, it's curious that Mermaid Maritime's P/E sits in line with the majority of other companies. It seems most investors are ignoring the fairly limited recent growth rates and are willing to pay up for exposure to the stock. They may be setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/E falls to levels more in line with recent growth rates.

The Bottom Line On Mermaid Maritime's P/E

With its share price falling into a hole, the P/E for Mermaid Maritime looks quite average now. It's argued the price-to-earnings ratio is an inferior measure of value within certain industries, but it can be a powerful business sentiment indicator.

We've established that Mermaid Maritime currently trades on a higher than expected P/E since its recent three-year growth is lower than the wider market forecast. Right now we are uncomfortable with the P/E as this earnings performance isn't likely to support a more positive sentiment for long. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve, it's challenging to accept these prices as being reasonable.

You always need to take note of risks, for example - Mermaid Maritime has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of.

You might be able to find a better investment than Mermaid Maritime. 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.

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