When close to half the companies in China have price-to-earnings ratios (or "P/E's") above 36x, you may consider Ming Yang Smart Energy Group Limited (SHSE:601615) as an attractive investment with its 24.7x P/E ratio. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the reduced P/E.

With earnings that are retreating more than the market's of late, Ming Yang Smart Energy Group has been very sluggish. The P/E is probably low because investors think this poor earnings performance isn't going to improve at all. You'd much rather the company wasn't bleeding earnings if you still believe in the business. If not, then existing shareholders will probably struggle to get excited about the future direction of the share price.

View our latest analysis for Ming Yang Smart Energy Group

Is There Any Growth For Ming Yang Smart Energy Group?

Ming Yang Smart Energy Group's P/E ratio would be typical for a company that's only expected to deliver limited growth, and importantly, perform worse than the market.

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 75%. As a result, earnings from three years ago have also fallen 39% overall. Accordingly, shareholders would have felt downbeat about the medium-term rates of earnings growth.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the eight analysts covering the company suggest earnings should grow by 310% over the next year. With the market only predicted to deliver 44%, the company is positioned for a stronger earnings result.

In light of this, it's peculiar that Ming Yang Smart Energy Group's P/E sits below the majority of other companies. Apparently some shareholders are doubtful of the forecasts and have been accepting significantly lower selling prices.

The Bottom Line On Ming Yang Smart Energy Group's P/E

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.

Our examination of Ming Yang Smart Energy Group's analyst forecasts revealed that its superior earnings outlook isn't contributing to its P/E anywhere near as much as we would have predicted. When we see a strong earnings outlook with faster-than-market growth, we assume potential risks are what might be placing significant pressure on the P/E ratio. At least price risks look to be very low, but investors seem to think future earnings could see a lot of volatility.

Before you take the next step, you should know about the 3 warning signs for Ming Yang Smart Energy Group (1 doesn't sit too well with us!) that we have uncovered.

Of course, you might also be able to find a better stock than Ming Yang Smart Energy Group. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have reasonable P/E ratios and have grown earnings strongly.

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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.