Mudanjiang Hengfeng Paper Co.,Ltd (SHSE:600356) shares have had a horrible month, losing 27% after a relatively good period beforehand. The drop over the last 30 days has capped off a tough year for shareholders, with the share price down 25% in that time.

In spite of the heavy fall in price, Mudanjiang Hengfeng PaperLtd may still be sending very bullish signals at the moment with its price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 7.8x, since almost half of all companies in China have P/E ratios greater than 27x and even P/E's higher than 48x are not unusual. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/E at face value as there may be an explanation why it's so limited.

Mudanjiang Hengfeng PaperLtd certainly has been doing a great job lately as it's been growing earnings at a really rapid pace. It might be that many expect the strong earnings performance to degrade substantially, which has repressed the P/E. If that doesn't eventuate, then existing shareholders have reason to be quite optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

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

There's an inherent assumption that a company should far underperform the market for P/E ratios like Mudanjiang Hengfeng PaperLtd's to be considered reasonable.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew earnings per share by an impressive 47% last year. Pleasingly, EPS has also lifted 94% in aggregate from three years ago, thanks to the last 12 months of growth. Accordingly, shareholders would have probably welcomed those medium-term rates of earnings growth.

Comparing that to the market, which is predicted to deliver 42% growth in the next 12 months, the company's momentum is weaker based on recent medium-term annualised earnings results.

In light of this, it's understandable that Mudanjiang Hengfeng PaperLtd's P/E sits below the majority of other companies. Apparently many shareholders weren't comfortable holding on to something they believe will continue to trail the bourse.

The Bottom Line On Mudanjiang Hengfeng PaperLtd's P/E

Shares in Mudanjiang Hengfeng PaperLtd have plummeted and its P/E is now low enough to touch the ground. Generally, our preference is to limit the use of the price-to-earnings ratio to establishing what the market thinks about the overall health of a company.

We've established that Mudanjiang Hengfeng PaperLtd maintains its low P/E on the weakness of its recent three-year growth being lower than the wider market forecast, as expected. 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.

You always need to take note of risks, for example - Mudanjiang Hengfeng PaperLtd has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of.

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.