Zhejiang Jianye Chemical Co., Ltd. (SHSE:603948) shareholders that were waiting for something to happen have been dealt a blow with a 28% share price drop in the last month. Instead of being rewarded, shareholders who have already held through the last twelve months are now sitting on a 30% share price drop.

After such a large drop in price, given about half the companies in China have price-to-earnings ratios (or "P/E's") above 28x, you may consider Zhejiang Jianye Chemical as a highly attractive investment with its 8.8x P/E ratio. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the highly reduced P/E.

For instance, Zhejiang Jianye Chemical's receding earnings in recent times would have to be some food for thought. It might be that many expect the disappointing earnings performance to continue or accelerate, 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.

How Is Zhejiang Jianye Chemical's Growth Trending?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/E as depressed as Zhejiang Jianye Chemical's is when the company's growth is on track to lag the market decidedly.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 34% decrease to the company's bottom line. Still, the latest three year period has seen an excellent 106% overall rise in EPS, in spite of its unsatisfying short-term performance. Although it's been a bumpy ride, it's still fair to say the earnings growth recently has been more than adequate for the company.

Comparing that to the market, which is predicted to deliver 41% growth in the next 12 months, the company's momentum is weaker based on recent medium-term annualised earnings results.

With this information, we can see why Zhejiang Jianye Chemical is trading at a P/E lower than the market. Apparently many shareholders weren't comfortable holding on to something they believe will continue to trail the bourse.

What We Can Learn From Zhejiang Jianye Chemical's P/E?

Zhejiang Jianye Chemical's P/E looks about as weak as its stock price lately. 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.

As we suspected, our examination of Zhejiang Jianye Chemical revealed its three-year earnings trends are contributing to its low P/E, given they look worse than current market expectations. Right now shareholders are accepting the low P/E as they concede future earnings probably won't provide any pleasant surprises. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve, they will continue to form a barrier for the share price around these levels.

Before you take the next step, you should know about the 1 warning sign for Zhejiang Jianye Chemical that we have uncovered.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with a strong growth track record, trading on 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.