Despite an already strong run, Sinostone(Guangdong) Co.,Ltd. (SZSE:001212) shares have been powering on, with a gain of 26% in the last thirty days. Notwithstanding the latest gain, the annual share price return of 5.6% isn't as impressive.
Following the firm bounce in price, Sinostone(Guangdong)Ltd's price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 65.2x might make it look like a strong sell right now compared to the market in China, where around half of the companies have P/E ratios below 34x and even P/E's below 20x are quite common. However, the P/E might be quite high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.
For example, consider that Sinostone(Guangdong)Ltd's financial performance has been poor lately as its earnings have been in decline. 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.
What Are Growth Metrics Telling Us About The High P/E?
Sinostone(Guangdong)Ltd's P/E ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver very strong growth, and importantly, perform much better 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 44%. This means it has also seen a slide in earnings over the longer-term as EPS is down 72% in total over the last three years. Accordingly, shareholders would have felt downbeat about the medium-term rates of earnings growth.
In contrast to the company, the rest of the market is expected to grow by 40% over the next year, which really puts the company's recent medium-term earnings decline into perspective.
In light of this, it's alarming that Sinostone(Guangdong)Ltd's P/E sits above the majority of other companies. 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 Sinostone(Guangdong)Ltd's P/E
Shares in Sinostone(Guangdong)Ltd have built up some good momentum lately, which has really inflated its P/E. We'd say the price-to-earnings ratio's power isn't primarily as a valuation instrument but rather to gauge current investor sentiment and future expectations.
We've established that Sinostone(Guangdong)Ltd currently trades on a much higher than expected P/E since its recent earnings have been in decline over the medium-term. When we see earnings heading backwards and underperforming the market forecasts, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, sending the high P/E lower. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve markedly, it's very challenging to accept these prices as being reasonable.
There are also other vital risk factors to consider and we've discovered 4 warning signs for Sinostone(Guangdong)Ltd (1 is concerning!) that you should be aware of before investing here.
If P/E ratios interest you, you may wish to see this free collection of other companies with strong earnings growth and low P/E ratios.
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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.
