Those holding Huachangda Intelligent Equipment Group Co.,Ltd. (SZSE:300278) shares would be relieved that the share price has rebounded 25% in the last thirty days, but it needs to keep going to repair the recent damage it has caused to investor portfolios. Not all shareholders will be feeling jubilant, since the share price is still down a very disappointing 19% in the last twelve months.

After such a large jump in price, Huachangda Intelligent Equipment GroupLtd may be sending very bearish signals at the moment with a price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 59.6x, since almost half of all companies in China have P/E ratios under 32x and even P/E's lower than 19x are not unusual. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the highly elevated P/E.

As an illustration, earnings have deteriorated at Huachangda Intelligent Equipment GroupLtd over the last year, which is not ideal at all. It might be that many expect the company to still outplay most other companies over the coming period, which has kept the P/E from collapsing. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.

How Is Huachangda Intelligent Equipment GroupLtd's Growth Trending?

There's an inherent assumption that a company should far outperform the market for P/E ratios like Huachangda Intelligent Equipment GroupLtd's to be considered reasonable.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 70% decrease to the company's bottom line. This has erased any of its gains during the last three years, with practically no change in EPS being achieved in total. Accordingly, shareholders probably wouldn't have been overly satisfied with the unstable medium-term growth rates.

Weighing that recent medium-term earnings trajectory against the broader market's one-year forecast for expansion of 40% shows it's noticeably less attractive on an annualised basis.

With this information, we find it concerning that Huachangda Intelligent Equipment GroupLtd is trading at a P/E higher than the market. Apparently many investors in the company are way more bullish than recent times would indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock at any price. Only the boldest would assume these prices are sustainable as a continuation of recent earnings trends is likely to weigh heavily on the share price eventually.

The Bottom Line On Huachangda Intelligent Equipment GroupLtd's P/E

The strong share price surge has got Huachangda Intelligent Equipment GroupLtd's P/E rushing to great heights as well. 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 Huachangda Intelligent Equipment GroupLtd revealed its three-year earnings trends aren't impacting its high P/E anywhere near as much as we would have predicted, given they look worse than current market expectations. Right now we are increasingly uncomfortable with the high P/E as this earnings performance isn't likely to support such positive sentiment for long. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve markedly, it's very challenging to accept these prices as being reasonable.

It is also worth noting that we have found 2 warning signs for Huachangda Intelligent Equipment GroupLtd that you need to take into consideration.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with a strong growth track record, trading on 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.