With a median price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of close to 30x in China, you could be forgiven for feeling indifferent about Hengerda New Materials (Fujian) Co., Ltd.'s (SZSE:300946) P/E ratio of 33x. Although, it's not wise to simply ignore the P/E without explanation as investors may be disregarding a distinct opportunity or a costly mistake.

Earnings have risen at a steady rate over the last year for Hengerda New Materials (Fujian), which is generally not a bad outcome. It might be that many expect the respectable earnings performance to only match most other companies over the coming period, which has kept the P/E from rising. 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 not quite in favour.

Check out our latest analysis for Hengerda New Materials (Fujian)

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

In order to justify its P/E ratio, Hengerda New Materials (Fujian) would need to produce growth that's similar to the market.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company managed to grow earnings per share by a handy 6.1% last year. Still, lamentably EPS has fallen 25% in aggregate from three years ago, which is disappointing. So unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that the company has not done a great job of growing earnings over that time.

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

With this information, we find it concerning that Hengerda New Materials (Fujian) is trading at a fairly similar P/E to the market. It seems most investors are ignoring the recent poor growth rate and are hoping for a turnaround in the company's business prospects. Only the boldest would assume these prices are sustainable as a continuation of recent earnings trends is likely to weigh on the share price eventually.

The Final Word

Typically, we'd caution against reading too much into price-to-earnings ratios when settling on investment decisions, though it can reveal plenty about what other market participants think about the company.

Our examination of Hengerda New Materials (Fujian) revealed its shrinking earnings over the medium-term aren't impacting its P/E as much as we would have predicted, given the market is set to grow. Right now we are uncomfortable with the P/E as this earnings performance is unlikely to support a more positive sentiment for long. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve, it's challenging to accept these prices as being reasonable.

It is also worth noting that we have found 2 warning signs for Hengerda New Materials (Fujian) (1 can't be ignored!) that you need to take into consideration.

If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on Hengerda New Materials (Fujian), explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there.

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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.