What Tianjin Motor Dies Co.,Ltd.'s (SZSE:002510) 34% Share Price Gain Is Not Telling You

Tianjin Motor Dies Co.,Ltd. (SZSE:002510) shares have continued their recent momentum with a 34% gain in the last month alone. Looking back a bit further, it's encouraging to see the stock is up 41% in the last year.

After such a large jump in price, Tianjin Motor DiesLtd's price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 67x might make it look like a strong sell right now compared to the market in China, where around half of the companies have P/E ratios below 35x and even P/E's below 20x are quite common. However, the P/E might be quite high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

With earnings growth that's exceedingly strong of late, Tianjin Motor DiesLtd has been doing very well. The P/E is probably high because investors think this strong earnings growth will be enough to outperform the broader market in the near future. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.

See our latest analysis for Tianjin Motor DiesLtd

Want the full picture on earnings, revenue and cash flow for the company? Then our free report on Tianjin Motor DiesLtd will help you shine a light on its historical performance.

Is There Enough Growth For Tianjin Motor DiesLtd?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/E as steep as Tianjin Motor DiesLtd's is when the company's growth is on track to outshine the market decidedly.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew earnings per share by an impressive 32% last year. However, the latest three year period hasn't been as great in aggregate as it didn't manage to provide any growth at all. Therefore, it's fair to say that earnings growth has been inconsistent recently for the company.

This is in contrast to the rest of the market, which is expected to grow by 41% over the next year, materially higher than the company's recent medium-term annualised growth rates.

With this information, we find it concerning that Tianjin Motor DiesLtd is trading at a P/E higher than the market. Apparently many investors in the company are way more bullish than recent times would indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock at any price. Only the boldest would assume these prices are sustainable as a continuation of recent earnings trends is likely to weigh heavily on the share price eventually.

What We Can Learn From Tianjin Motor DiesLtd's P/E?

Shares in Tianjin Motor DiesLtd have built up some good momentum lately, which has really inflated its P/E. 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.

Our examination of Tianjin Motor DiesLtd revealed its three-year earnings trends aren't impacting its high P/E anywhere near as much as we would have predicted, given they look worse than current market expectations. Right now we are increasingly uncomfortable with the high P/E as this earnings performance isn't likely to support such positive sentiment for long. If recent medium-term earnings trends continue, it will place shareholders' investments at significant risk and potential investors in danger of paying an excessive premium.

A lot of potential risks can sit within a company's balance sheet. You can assess many of the main risks through our free balance sheet analysis for Tianjin Motor DiesLtd with six simple checks.

It's important to make sure you look for a great company, not just the first idea you come across. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and a low P/E).

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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.