When close to half the companies in China have price-to-earnings ratios (or "P/E's") above 35x, you may consider Zhejiang Shuanghuan Driveline Co.,Ltd. (SZSE:002472) as an attractive investment with its 28.5x P/E ratio. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/E at face value as there may be an explanation why it's limited.

Zhejiang Shuanghuan DrivelineLtd certainly has been doing a good job lately as its earnings growth has been positive while most other companies have been seeing their earnings go backwards. 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 not, then existing shareholders have reason to be quite optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

Check out our latest analysis for Zhejiang Shuanghuan DrivelineLtd

How Is Zhejiang Shuanghuan DrivelineLtd's Growth Trending?

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

Retrospectively, the last year delivered an exceptional 34% gain to the company's bottom line. However, the latest three year period hasn't been as great in aggregate as it didn't manage to provide any growth at all. So it appears to us that the company has had a mixed result in terms of growing earnings over that time.

Looking ahead now, EPS is anticipated to climb by 29% during the coming year according to the analysts following the company. With the market predicted to deliver 44% growth , the company is positioned for a weaker earnings result.

In light of this, it's understandable that Zhejiang Shuanghuan DrivelineLtd's P/E sits below the majority of other companies. Apparently many shareholders weren't comfortable holding on while the company is potentially eyeing a less prosperous future.

What We Can Learn From Zhejiang Shuanghuan DrivelineLtd's 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.

As we suspected, our examination of Zhejiang Shuanghuan DrivelineLtd'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. It's hard to see the share price rising strongly in the near future under these circumstances.

A lot of potential risks can sit within a company's balance sheet. Take a look at our free balance sheet analysis for Zhejiang Shuanghuan DrivelineLtd with six simple checks on some of these key factors.

If you're unsure about the strength of Zhejiang Shuanghuan DrivelineLtd'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.