The Chongqing Zongshen Power Machinery Co.,Ltd (SZSE:001696) share price has fared very poorly over the last month, falling by a substantial 25%. The drop over the last 30 days has capped off a tough year for shareholders, with the share price down 28% in that time.

Since its price has dipped substantially, Chongqing Zongshen Power MachineryLtd's price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 15.6x might make it look like a buy right now compared to the market in China, where around half of the companies have P/E ratios above 28x and even P/E's above 50x are quite common. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the reduced P/E.

For example, consider that Chongqing Zongshen Power MachineryLtd's financial performance has been poor lately as its earnings have been in decline. One possibility is that the P/E is low because investors think the company won't do enough to avoid underperforming the broader market in the near future. 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 Chongqing Zongshen Power MachineryLtd?

In order to justify its P/E ratio, Chongqing Zongshen Power MachineryLtd would need to produce sluggish growth that's trailing the market.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 26% decrease to the company's bottom line. This means it has also seen a slide in earnings over the longer-term as EPS is down 37% in total over the last three years. So unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that the company has not done a great job of growing earnings over that time.

In contrast to the company, the rest of the market is expected to grow by 41% over the next year, which really puts the company's recent medium-term earnings decline into perspective.

In light of this, it's understandable that Chongqing Zongshen Power MachineryLtd's P/E would sit below the majority of other companies. Nonetheless, there's no guarantee the P/E has reached a floor yet with earnings going in reverse. Even just maintaining these prices could be difficult to achieve as recent earnings trends are already weighing down the shares.

What We Can Learn From Chongqing Zongshen Power MachineryLtd's P/E?

Chongqing Zongshen Power MachineryLtd's P/E has taken a tumble along with its share price. 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 Chongqing Zongshen Power MachineryLtd maintains its low P/E on the weakness of its sliding earnings over the medium-term, 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.

It's always necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 1 warning sign with Chongqing Zongshen Power MachineryLtd, and understanding should be part of your investment process.

If you're unsure about the strength of Chongqing Zongshen Power MachineryLtd'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.