With a price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 7.1x Xinhua Winshare Publishing and Media Co., Ltd. (HKG:811) may be sending bullish signals at the moment, given that almost half of all companies in Hong Kong have P/E ratios greater than 13x and even P/E's higher than 25x 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.
The recent earnings growth at Xinhua Winshare Publishing and Media would have to be considered satisfactory if not spectacular. It might be that many expect the respectable earnings performance to degrade, which has repressed the P/E. 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 out of favour.
See our latest analysis for Xinhua Winshare Publishing and Media
In order to justify its P/E ratio, Xinhua Winshare Publishing and Media would need to produce sluggish growth that's trailing the market.
If we review the last year of earnings growth, the company posted a worthy increase of 6.5%. EPS has also lifted 18% in aggregate from three years ago, partly thanks to the last 12 months of growth. Accordingly, shareholders would have probably been satisfied with the medium-term rates of earnings growth.
This is in contrast to the rest of the market, which is expected to grow by 21% over the next year, materially higher than the company's recent medium-term annualised growth rates.
With this information, we can see why Xinhua Winshare Publishing and Media is trading at a P/E lower than the market. It seems most investors are expecting to see the recent limited growth rates continue into the future and are only willing to pay a reduced amount for the stock.
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.
We've established that Xinhua Winshare Publishing and Media maintains its low P/E on the weakness of its recent three-year growth being lower than the wider market forecast, as expected. Right now shareholders are accepting the low P/E as they concede future earnings probably won't provide any pleasant surprises. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve, they will continue to form a barrier for the share price around these levels.
You always need to take note of risks, for example - Xinhua Winshare Publishing and Media has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of.
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.