Despite an already strong run, FULONGMA GROUP Co.,Ltd. (SHSE:603686) shares have been powering on, with a gain of 34% in the last thirty days. Looking further back, the 19% rise over the last twelve months isn't too bad notwithstanding the strength over the last 30 days.

Although its price has surged higher, FULONGMA GROUPLtd's price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 30.8x might still make it look like a buy right now compared to the market in China, where around half of the companies have P/E ratios above 37x and even P/E's above 71x are quite common. However, the P/E might be low for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

FULONGMA GROUPLtd has been struggling lately as its earnings have declined faster than most other companies. 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. If not, then existing shareholders will probably struggle to get excited about the future direction of the share price.

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

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

If we review the last year of earnings, dishearteningly the company's profits fell to the tune of 32%. This means it has also seen a slide in earnings over the longer-term as EPS is down 61% in total over the last three years. So unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that the company has not done a great job of growing earnings over that time.

Turning to the outlook, the next year should generate growth of 22% as estimated by the one analyst watching the company. That's shaping up to be materially lower than the 38% growth forecast for the broader market.

In light of this, it's understandable that FULONGMA GROUPLtd's P/E sits below the majority of other companies. It seems most investors are expecting to see limited future growth and are only willing to pay a reduced amount for the stock.

The Final Word

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

As we suspected, our examination of FULONGMA GROUPLtd's analyst forecasts revealed that its inferior earnings outlook is contributing to its low P/E. At this stage investors feel the potential for an improvement in earnings isn't great enough to justify a higher P/E ratio. Unless these conditions improve, they will continue to form a barrier for the share price around these levels.

You should always think about risks. Case in point, we've spotted 2 warning signs for FULONGMA GROUPLtd you should be aware of.

If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on FULONGMA GROUPLtd, explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there.

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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.