When close to half the companies in China have price-to-earnings ratios (or "P/E's") above 35x, you may consider Shuangliang Eco-Energy Systems Co.,Ltd (SHSE:600481) as a highly attractive investment with its 9.8x P/E ratio. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the highly reduced P/E.

Recent times have been pleasing for Shuangliang Eco-Energy SystemsLtd as its earnings have risen in spite of the market's earnings going into reverse. It might be that many expect the strong earnings performance to degrade substantially, possibly more than the market, which has repressed the P/E. If not, then existing shareholders have reason to be quite optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

View our latest analysis for Shuangliang Eco-Energy SystemsLtd

Is There Any Growth For Shuangliang Eco-Energy SystemsLtd?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/E as depressed as Shuangliang Eco-Energy SystemsLtd's is when the company's growth is on track to lag the market decidedly.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew earnings per share by an impressive 48% last year. The strong recent performance means it was also able to grow EPS by 907% in total over the last three years. Therefore, it's fair to say the earnings growth recently has been superb for the company.

Turning to the outlook, the next year should generate growth of 53% as estimated by the four analysts watching the company. Meanwhile, the rest of the market is forecast to only expand by 44%, which is noticeably less attractive.

With this information, we find it odd that Shuangliang Eco-Energy SystemsLtd is trading at a P/E lower than the market. It looks like most investors are not convinced at all that the company can achieve future growth expectations.

The Final Word

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.

Our examination of Shuangliang Eco-Energy SystemsLtd'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. When we see a strong earnings outlook with faster-than-market growth, we assume potential risks are what might be placing significant pressure on the P/E ratio. At least price risks look to be very low, but investors seem to think future earnings could see a lot of volatility.

Plus, you should also learn about these 3 warning signs we've spotted with Shuangliang Eco-Energy SystemsLtd (including 1 which doesn't sit too well with us).

If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on Shuangliang Eco-Energy SystemsLtd, explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there.

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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.