Xinjiang Xinxin Mining Industry Co., Ltd. (HKG:3833) shares have continued their recent momentum with a 25% gain in the last month alone. The last month tops off a massive increase of 211% in the last year.
Since its price has surged higher, Xinjiang Xinxin Mining Industry may be sending very bearish signals at the moment with a price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 43.8x, since almost half of all companies in Hong Kong have P/E ratios under 12x and even P/E's lower than 7x 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 so lofty.
For instance, Xinjiang Xinxin Mining Industry's receding earnings in recent times would have to be some food for thought. One possibility is that the P/E is high because investors think the company will still do enough to outperform the broader market in the near future. If not, then existing shareholders may be quite nervous about the viability of the share price.
View our latest analysis for Xinjiang Xinxin Mining Industry
Xinjiang Xinxin Mining Industry'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.
Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 18% decrease to the company's bottom line. The last three years don't look nice either as the company has shrunk EPS by 87% in aggregate. Accordingly, shareholders would have felt downbeat about the medium-term rates of earnings growth.
Comparing that to the market, which is predicted to deliver 21% growth in the next 12 months, the company's downward momentum based on recent medium-term earnings results is a sobering picture.
In light of this, it's alarming that Xinjiang Xinxin Mining Industry's P/E sits above the majority of other companies. It seems most investors are ignoring the recent poor growth rate and are hoping for a turnaround in the company's business prospects. There's a very good chance existing shareholders are setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/E falls to levels more in line with the recent negative growth rates.
Shares in Xinjiang Xinxin Mining Industry have built up some good momentum lately, which has really inflated its P/E. It's argued the price-to-earnings ratio is an inferior measure of value within certain industries, but it can be a powerful business sentiment indicator.
Our examination of Xinjiang Xinxin Mining Industry revealed its shrinking earnings over the medium-term aren't impacting its high P/E anywhere near as much as we would have predicted, given the market is set to grow. 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.
You should always think about risks. Case in point, we've spotted 3 warning signs for Xinjiang Xinxin Mining Industry you should be aware of, and 2 of them don't sit too well with us.
Of course, you might also be able to find a better stock than Xinjiang Xinxin Mining Industry. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have reasonable P/E ratios and have grown earnings strongly.
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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.