Ka Shui International Holdings Limited (HKG:822) shareholders have had their patience rewarded with a 30% share price jump in the last month. Taking a wider view, although not as strong as the last month, the full year gain of 11% is also fairly reasonable.

Although its price has surged higher, Ka Shui International Holdings may still be sending bullish signals at the moment with its price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 5x, since almost half of all companies in Hong Kong have P/E ratios greater than 10x and even P/E's higher than 20x are not unusual. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the reduced P/E.

Earnings have risen at a steady rate over the last year for Ka Shui International Holdings, which is generally not a bad outcome. 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.

Check out our latest analysis for Ka Shui International Holdings

How Is Ka Shui International Holdings' Growth Trending?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/E as low as Ka Shui International Holdings' is when the company's growth is on track to lag the market.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a decent 5.8% gain to the company's bottom line. The latest three year period has also seen a 15% overall rise in EPS, aided somewhat by its short-term performance. Therefore, it's fair to say the earnings growth recently has been respectable for the company.

This is in contrast to the rest of the market, which is expected to grow by 16% over the next year, materially higher than the company's recent medium-term annualised growth rates.

In light of this, it's understandable that Ka Shui International Holdings' P/E sits below the majority of other companies. 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.

The Key Takeaway

The latest share price surge wasn't enough to lift Ka Shui International Holdings' P/E close to the market median. Using the price-to-earnings ratio alone to determine if you should sell your stock isn't sensible, however it can be a practical guide to the company's future prospects.

As we suspected, our examination of Ka Shui International Holdings revealed its three-year earnings trends are contributing to its low P/E, given they look worse than current market expectations. At this stage investors feel the potential for an improvement in earnings isn't great enough to justify a higher P/E ratio. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve, they will continue to form a barrier for the share price around these levels.

Before you settle on your opinion, we've discovered 3 warning signs for Ka Shui International Holdings that you should be aware of.

You might be able to find a better investment than Ka Shui International Holdings. If you want a selection of possible candidates, check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a P/E below 20x (but have proven they can grow earnings).

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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.