It's not a stretch to say that Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.'s (SHSE:600521) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 27x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" compared to the market in China, where the median P/E ratio is around 29x. However, investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/E.

Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical hasn't been tracking well recently as its declining earnings compare poorly to other companies, which have seen some growth on average. One possibility is that the P/E is moderate because investors think this poor earnings performance will turn around. If not, then existing shareholders may be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.

How Is Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical's Growth Trending?

Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical's P/E ratio would be typical for a company that's only expected to deliver moderate growth, and importantly, perform in line with the market.

If we review the last year of earnings, dishearteningly the company's profits fell to the tune of 29%. As a result, earnings from three years ago have also fallen 12% overall. Accordingly, shareholders would have felt downbeat about the medium-term rates of earnings growth.

Looking ahead now, EPS is anticipated to climb by 42% during the coming year according to the two analysts following the company. With the market only predicted to deliver 36%, the company is positioned for a stronger earnings result.

With this information, we find it interesting that Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical is trading at a fairly similar P/E to the market. Apparently some shareholders are skeptical of the forecasts and have been accepting lower selling prices.

The Key Takeaway

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.

We've established that Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical currently trades on a lower than expected P/E since its forecast growth is higher than the wider market. When we see a strong earnings outlook with faster-than-market growth, we assume potential risks are what might be placing pressure on the P/E ratio. It appears some are indeed anticipating earnings instability, because these conditions should normally provide a boost to the share price.

Before you take the next step, you should know about the 2 warning signs for Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical that we have uncovered.

If you're unsure about the strength of Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical'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.