Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics Co. ,Ltd (SZSE:002056) shares have had a really impressive month, gaining 26% after a shaky period beforehand. Not all shareholders will be feeling jubilant, since the share price is still down a very disappointing 32% in the last twelve months.

Although its price has surged higher, Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics Ltd's price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 11.2x might still make it look like a strong buy right now compared to the market in China, where around half of the companies have P/E ratios above 31x and even P/E's above 56x are quite common. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/E at face value as there may be an explanation why it's so limited.

With its earnings growth in positive territory compared to the declining earnings of most other companies, Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics Ltd has been doing quite well of late. One possibility is that the P/E is low because investors think the company's earnings are going to fall away like everyone else's soon. If not, then existing shareholders have reason to be quite optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

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

In order to justify its P/E ratio, Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics Ltd would need to produce anemic growth that's substantially trailing the market.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew earnings per share by an impressive 45% last year. The latest three year period has also seen an excellent 149% overall rise in EPS, aided by its short-term performance. Therefore, it's fair to say the earnings growth recently has been superb for the company.

Looking ahead now, EPS is anticipated to climb by 21% during the coming year according to the four analysts following the company. With the market predicted to deliver 41% growth , the company is positioned for a weaker earnings result.

In light of this, it's understandable that Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics Ltd's P/E sits below the majority of other companies. It seems most investors are expecting to see limited future growth and are only willing to pay a reduced amount for the stock.

The Final Word

Even after such a strong price move, Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics Ltd's P/E still trails the rest of the market significantly. Generally, our preference is to limit the use of the price-to-earnings ratio to establishing what the market thinks about the overall health of a company.

As we suspected, our examination of Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics Ltd's analyst forecasts revealed that its inferior earnings outlook is contributing to its low P/E. Right now shareholders are accepting the low P/E as they concede future earnings probably won't provide any pleasant surprises. Unless these conditions improve, they will continue to form a barrier for the share price around these levels.

You should always think about risks. Case in point, we've spotted 1 warning sign for Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics Ltd you should be aware of.

If P/E ratios interest you, you may wish to see this free collection of other companies with strong earnings growth and low P/E ratios.

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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.