Despite an already strong run, Yongtaiyun Chemical Logistics Co.,Ltd (SZSE:001228) shares have been powering on, with a gain of 26% in the last thirty days. Not all shareholders will be feeling jubilant, since the share price is still down a very disappointing 27% in the last twelve months.

Although its price has surged higher, given about half the companies in China have price-to-earnings ratios (or "P/E's") above 37x, you may still consider Yongtaiyun Chemical LogisticsLtd as an attractive investment with its 25.9x 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 that are retreating more than the market's of late, Yongtaiyun Chemical LogisticsLtd has been very sluggish. It seems that many are expecting the dismal earnings performance to persist, which has repressed the P/E. You'd much rather the company wasn't bleeding earnings if you still believe in the business. Or at the very least, you'd be hoping the earnings slide doesn't get any worse if your plan is to pick up some stock while it's out of favour.

Is There Any Growth For Yongtaiyun Chemical LogisticsLtd?

Yongtaiyun Chemical LogisticsLtd'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.

Taking a look back first, the company's earnings per share growth last year wasn't something to get excited about as it posted a disappointing decline of 49%. The last three years don't look nice either as the company has shrunk EPS by 42% in aggregate. Accordingly, shareholders would have felt downbeat about the medium-term rates of earnings growth.

Turning to the outlook, the next year should generate growth of 81% as estimated by the only analyst watching the company. Meanwhile, the rest of the market is forecast to only expand by 39%, which is noticeably less attractive.

With this information, we find it odd that Yongtaiyun Chemical LogisticsLtd is trading at a P/E lower than the market. Apparently some shareholders are doubtful of the forecasts and have been accepting significantly lower selling prices.

The Key Takeaway

The latest share price surge wasn't enough to lift Yongtaiyun Chemical LogisticsLtd's P/E close to the market median. 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.

Our examination of Yongtaiyun Chemical LogisticsLtd's analyst forecasts revealed that its superior earnings outlook isn't contributing to its P/E anywhere near as much as we would have predicted. When we see a strong earnings outlook with faster-than-market growth, we assume potential risks are what might be placing significant pressure on the P/E ratio. At least price risks look to be very low, but investors seem to think future earnings could see a lot of volatility.

Plus, you should also learn about these 3 warning signs we've spotted with Yongtaiyun Chemical LogisticsLtd (including 2 which are a bit concerning).

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).

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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.