With a median price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of close to 35x in China, you could be forgiven for feeling indifferent about GEM Co., Ltd.'s (SZSE:002340) P/E ratio of 32.7x. Although, it's not wise to simply ignore the P/E without explanation as investors may be disregarding a distinct opportunity or a costly mistake.

Recent times haven't been advantageous for GEM as its earnings have been falling quicker than most other companies. One possibility is that the P/E is moderate because investors think the company's earnings trend will eventually fall in line with most others in the market. If you still like the company, you'd want its earnings trajectory to turn around before making any decisions. Or at the very least, you'd be hoping it doesn't keep underperforming if your plan is to pick up some stock while it's not in favour.

Check out our latest analysis for GEM

Does Growth Match The P/E?

The only time you'd be comfortable seeing a P/E like GEM's is when the company's growth is tracking the market closely.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 34% decrease to the company's bottom line. Still, the latest three year period has seen an excellent 62% overall rise in EPS, in spite of its unsatisfying short-term performance. 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 year should generate growth of 103% as estimated by the ten analysts watching the company. With the market only predicted to deliver 43%, the company is positioned for a stronger earnings result.

With this information, we find it interesting that GEM is trading at a fairly similar P/E to the market. It may be that most investors aren't convinced the company can achieve future growth expectations.

The Bottom Line On GEM's 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 GEM currently trades on a lower than expected P/E since its forecast growth is higher than the wider market. When we see a strong earnings outlook with faster-than-market growth, we assume potential risks are what might be placing pressure on the P/E ratio. It appears some are indeed anticipating earnings instability, because these conditions should normally provide a boost to the share price.

You need to take note of risks, for example - GEM has 3 warning signs (and 1 which doesn't sit too well with us) we think you should know about.

If you're unsure about the strength of GEM's business, why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals for some other companies you may have missed.

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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.