The Huachangda Intelligent Equipment Group Co.,Ltd. (SZSE:300278) share price has fared very poorly over the last month, falling by a substantial 29%. Instead of being rewarded, shareholders who have already held through the last twelve months are now sitting on a 42% share price drop.

In spite of the heavy fall in price, Huachangda Intelligent Equipment GroupLtd may still be sending very bearish signals at the moment with a price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 44.5x, since almost half of all companies in China have P/E ratios under 27x and even P/E's lower than 17x are not unusual. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the highly elevated P/E.

For instance, Huachangda Intelligent Equipment GroupLtd's receding earnings in recent times would have to be some food for thought. One possibility is that the P/E is high because investors think the company will still do enough to outperform the broader market in the near future. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.

Is There Enough Growth For Huachangda Intelligent Equipment GroupLtd?

There's an inherent assumption that a company should far outperform the market for P/E ratios like Huachangda Intelligent Equipment GroupLtd's to be considered reasonable.

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 70%. Unfortunately, that's brought it right back to where it started three years ago with EPS growth being virtually non-existent overall during that time. Therefore, it's fair to say that earnings growth has been inconsistent recently for the company.

Weighing that recent medium-term earnings trajectory against the broader market's one-year forecast for expansion of 41% shows it's noticeably less attractive on an annualised basis.

In light of this, it's alarming that Huachangda Intelligent Equipment GroupLtd's P/E sits above the majority of other companies. It seems most investors are ignoring the fairly limited recent growth rates and are hoping for a turnaround in the company's business prospects. There's a good chance existing shareholders are setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/E falls to levels more in line with recent growth rates.

The Bottom Line On Huachangda Intelligent Equipment GroupLtd's P/E

A significant share price dive has done very little to deflate Huachangda Intelligent Equipment GroupLtd's very lofty P/E. 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.

Our examination of Huachangda Intelligent Equipment GroupLtd revealed its three-year earnings trends aren't impacting its high P/E anywhere near as much as we would have predicted, given they look worse than current market expectations. When we see weak earnings with slower than market growth, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, sending the high P/E lower. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve markedly, it's very challenging to accept these prices as being reasonable.

Don't forget that there may be other risks. For instance, we've identified 2 warning signs for Huachangda Intelligent Equipment GroupLtd that you should be aware of.

You might be able to find a better investment than Huachangda Intelligent Equipment GroupLtd. 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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