HeNan Splendor Science & Technology Co., Ltd. (SZSE:002296) shareholders that were waiting for something to happen have been dealt a blow with a 25% share price drop in the last month. Instead of being rewarded, shareholders who have already held through the last twelve months are now sitting on a 29% share price drop.

Although its price has dipped substantially, given about half the companies in China have price-to-earnings ratios (or "P/E's") above 28x, you may still consider HeNan Splendor Science & Technology as an attractive investment with its 20.9x P/E ratio. However, the P/E might be low for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

As an illustration, earnings have deteriorated at HeNan Splendor Science & Technology over the last year, which is not ideal at all. It might be that many expect the disappointing earnings performance to continue or accelerate, 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.

Is There Any Growth For HeNan Splendor Science & Technology?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/E as low as HeNan Splendor Science & Technology's is when the company's growth is on track to lag the market.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 8.0% decrease to the company's bottom line. Still, the latest three year period has seen an excellent 49% overall rise in EPS, in spite of its unsatisfying short-term performance. Accordingly, while they would have preferred to keep the run going, shareholders would probably welcome the medium-term rates of earnings growth.

This is in contrast to the rest of the market, which is expected to grow by 42% over the next year, materially higher than the company's recent medium-term annualised growth rates.

With this information, we can see why HeNan Splendor Science & Technology is trading at a P/E lower than the market. Apparently many shareholders weren't comfortable holding on to something they believe will continue to trail the bourse.

The Key Takeaway

HeNan Splendor Science & Technology's recently weak share price has pulled its P/E below most other companies. 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.

We've established that HeNan Splendor Science & Technology 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 - HeNan Splendor Science & Technology has 2 warning signs we think you should be aware of.

If you're unsure about the strength of HeNan Splendor Science & Technology'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.