L.K. Technology Holdings Limited (HKG:558) shares have had a really impressive month, gaining 37% after a shaky period beforehand. Still, the 30-day jump doesn't change the fact that longer term shareholders have seen their stock decimated by the 57% share price drop in the last twelve months.
In spite of the firm bounce in price, you could still be forgiven for feeling indifferent about L.K. Technology Holdings' P/E ratio of 9.3x, since the median price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio in Hong Kong is also close to 9x. While this might not raise any eyebrows, if the P/E ratio is not justified investors could be missing out on a potential opportunity or ignoring looming disappointment.
L.K. Technology Holdings hasn't been tracking well recently as its declining earnings compare poorly to other companies, which have seen some growth on average. It might be that many expect the dour earnings performance to strengthen positively, which has kept the P/E from falling. If not, then existing shareholders may be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.
How Is L.K. Technology Holdings' Growth Trending?
L.K. Technology Holdings' P/E ratio would be typical for a company that's only expected to deliver moderate growth, and importantly, perform in line with the market.
Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 8.8% decrease to the company's bottom line. Even so, admirably EPS has lifted 35% in aggregate from three years ago, notwithstanding the last 12 months. Although it's been a bumpy ride, it's still fair to say the earnings growth recently has been more than adequate for the company.
Turning to the outlook, the next three years should generate growth of 14% per annum as estimated by the seven analysts watching the company. That's shaping up to be similar to the 12% per annum growth forecast for the broader market.
With this information, we can see why L.K. Technology Holdings is trading at a fairly similar P/E to the market. It seems most investors are expecting to see average future growth and are only willing to pay a moderate amount for the stock.
The Final Word
L.K. Technology Holdings' stock has a lot of momentum behind it lately, which has brought its P/E level with the market. 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.
We've established that L.K. Technology Holdings maintains its moderate P/E off the back of its forecast growth being in line with the wider market, as expected. Right now shareholders are comfortable with the P/E as they are quite confident future earnings won't throw up any surprises. It's hard to see the share price moving strongly in either direction in the near future under these circumstances.
Don't forget that there may be other risks. For instance, we've identified 1 warning sign for L.K. Technology Holdings that you should be aware of.
If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on L.K. Technology Holdings, 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.