To the annoyance of some shareholders, Fujian Star-net Communication Co., LTD. (SZSE:002396) shares are down a considerable 28% in the last month, which continues a horrid run for the company. The drop over the last 30 days has capped off a tough year for shareholders, with the share price down 42% in that time.

Since its price has dipped substantially, Fujian Star-net Communication may be sending bullish signals at the moment with its price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 22.5x, 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 limited.

With earnings that are retreating more than the market's of late, Fujian Star-net Communication has been very sluggish. It seems that many are expecting the dismal earnings performance to persist, which has repressed the P/E. You'd much rather the company wasn't bleeding earnings if you still believe in the business. Or at the very least, you'd be hoping the earnings slide doesn't get any worse if your plan is to pick up some stock while it's out of favour.

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

There's an inherent assumption that a company should underperform the market for P/E ratios like Fujian Star-net Communication's to be considered reasonable.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 47% decrease to the company's bottom line. This means it has also seen a slide in earnings over the longer-term as EPS is down 27% in total over the last three years. Accordingly, shareholders would have felt downbeat about the medium-term rates of earnings growth.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the four analysts covering the company suggest earnings should grow by 119% over the next year. Meanwhile, the rest of the market is forecast to only expand by 41%, which is noticeably less attractive.

In light of this, it's peculiar that Fujian Star-net Communication'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 Key Takeaway

Fujian Star-net Communication's recently weak share price has pulled its P/E below most other companies. While the price-to-earnings ratio shouldn't be the defining factor in whether you buy a stock or not, it's quite a capable barometer of earnings expectations.

Our examination of Fujian Star-net Communication'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. There could be some major unobserved threats to earnings preventing the P/E ratio from matching the positive outlook. It appears many are indeed anticipating earnings instability, because these conditions should normally provide a boost to the share price.

Having said that, be aware Fujian Star-net Communication is showing 3 warning signs in our investment analysis, you should know about.

If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on Fujian Star-net Communication, 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.