With a price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 20.7x Ningxia Baofeng Energy Group Co., Ltd. (SHSE:600989) may be sending bullish signals at the moment, given that almost half of all companies in China have P/E ratios greater than 31x and even P/E's higher than 56x are not unusual. However, the P/E might be low for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

There hasn't been much to differentiate Ningxia Baofeng Energy Group's and the market's earnings growth lately. It might be that many expect the mediocre 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 pick up some stock while it's out of favour.

What Are Growth Metrics Telling Us About The Low P/E?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/E as low as Ningxia Baofeng Energy Group's is when the company's growth is on track to lag the market.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a decent 2.7% gain to the company's bottom line. The latest three year period has also seen a 5.8% overall rise in EPS, aided somewhat by its short-term performance. So we can start by confirming that the company has actually done a good job of growing earnings over that time.

Turning to the outlook, the next three years should generate growth of 36% per year as estimated by the ten analysts watching the company. Meanwhile, the rest of the market is forecast to only expand by 21% each year, which is noticeably less attractive.

In light of this, it's peculiar that Ningxia Baofeng Energy Group's P/E sits below the majority of other companies. It looks like most investors are not convinced at all that the company can achieve future growth expectations.

What We Can Learn From Ningxia Baofeng Energy Group's P/E?

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.

Our examination of Ningxia Baofeng Energy Group's analyst forecasts revealed that its superior earnings outlook isn't contributing to its P/E anywhere near as much as we would have predicted. There could be some major unobserved threats to earnings preventing the P/E ratio from matching the positive outlook. At least price risks look to be very low, but investors seem to think future earnings could see a lot of volatility.

You should always think about risks. Case in point, we've spotted 2 warning signs for Ningxia Baofeng Energy Group you should be aware of.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with a strong growth track record, trading on a low P/E.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
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.