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The Market Lifts Dongfang Electronics Co., Ltd. (SZSE:000682) Shares 29% But It Can Do More
Dongfang Electronics Co., Ltd. (SZSE:000682) shareholders would be excited to see that the share price has had a great month, posting a 29% gain and recovering from prior weakness. Longer-term shareholders would be thankful for the recovery in the share price since it's now virtually flat for the year after the recent bounce.
In spite of the firm bounce in price, given about half the companies in China have price-to-earnings ratios (or "P/E's") above 31x, you may still consider Dongfang Electronics as an attractive investment with its 23.8x P/E ratio. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the reduced P/E.
Dongfang Electronics certainly has been doing a good job lately as its earnings growth has been positive while most other companies have been seeing their earnings go backwards. 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 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.
View our latest analysis for Dongfang Electronics
If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report on Dongfang Electronics.How Is Dongfang Electronics' Growth Trending?
The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/E as low as Dongfang Electronics' is when the company's growth is on track to lag the market.
Retrospectively, the last year delivered an exceptional 24% gain to the company's bottom line. The strong recent performance means it was also able to grow EPS by 94% in total over the last three years. Accordingly, shareholders would have probably welcomed those medium-term rates of earnings growth.
Looking ahead now, EPS is anticipated to climb by 42% during the coming year according to the dual analysts following the company. Meanwhile, the rest of the market is forecast to expand by 42%, which is not materially different.
In light of this, it's peculiar that Dongfang Electronics' P/E sits below the majority of other companies. Apparently some shareholders are doubtful of the forecasts and have been accepting lower selling prices.
The Key Takeaway
Dongfang Electronics' stock might have been given a solid boost, but its P/E certainly hasn't reached any great heights. 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.
We've established that Dongfang Electronics currently trades on a lower than expected P/E since its forecast growth is in line with the wider market. When we see an average earnings outlook with market-like 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 more support to the share price.
Having said that, be aware Dongfang Electronics is showing 2 warning signs in our investment analysis, you should know about.
If you're unsure about the strength of Dongfang Electronics' 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.
About SZSE:000682
Dongfang Electronics
Engages in the research, development, manufacturing, operation, system integration, and technical servicing of energy management system solutions in China, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, South America, Europe and internationally.
Solid track record with excellent balance sheet and pays a dividend.