The ZTE Corporation (SZSE:000063) share price has done very well over the last month, posting an excellent gain of 29%. The last 30 days bring the annual gain to a very sharp 51%.

In spite of the firm bounce in price, ZTE's price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 20.4x 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. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the reduced P/E.

Recent times have been pleasing for ZTE as its earnings have risen in spite of the market's earnings going into reverse. It might be that many expect the strong earnings performance to degrade substantially, possibly more than the market, which has repressed the P/E. 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.

Does Growth Match The Low P/E?

In order to justify its P/E ratio, ZTE would need to produce sluggish growth that's trailing the market.

If we review the last year of earnings, the company posted a result that saw barely any deviation from a year ago. Still, the latest three year period was better as it's delivered a decent 23% overall rise in EPS. Therefore, it's fair to say that earnings growth has been inconsistent recently for the company.

Turning to the outlook, the next year should generate growth of 11% as estimated by the ten analysts watching the company. With the market predicted to deliver 38% growth , the company is positioned for a weaker earnings result.

With this information, we can see why ZTE is trading at a P/E lower than the market. 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

ZTE's stock might have been given a solid boost, but its P/E certainly hasn't reached any great heights. 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 ZTE's analyst forecasts revealed that its inferior earnings outlook is contributing to its low P/E. Right now shareholders are accepting the low P/E as they concede future earnings probably won't provide any pleasant surprises. Unless these conditions improve, they will continue to form a barrier for the share price around these levels.

It's always necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 1 warning sign with ZTE, and understanding should be part of your investment process.

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

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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.