Jiangsu Tongguang Electronic Wire & Cable Co., Ltd. (SZSE:300265) Stock Rockets 44% As Investors Are Less Pessimistic Than Expected

Jiangsu Tongguang Electronic Wire & Cable Co., Ltd. (SZSE:300265) shares have had a really impressive month, gaining 44% after a shaky period beforehand. While recent buyers may be laughing, long-term holders might not be as pleased since the recent gain only brings the stock back to where it started a year ago.

After such a large jump in price, Jiangsu Tongguang Electronic Wire & Cable may be sending very bearish signals at the moment with a price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 54.2x, since almost half of all companies in China have P/E ratios under 33x and even P/E's lower than 20x are not unusual. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/E at face value as there may be an explanation why it's so lofty.

For example, consider that Jiangsu Tongguang Electronic Wire & Cable's financial performance has been poor lately as its earnings have been in decline. One possibility is that the P/E is high because investors think the company will still do enough to outperform the broader market in the near future. If not, then existing shareholders may be quite nervous about the viability of the share price.

View our latest analysis for Jiangsu Tongguang Electronic Wire & Cable

We don't have analyst forecasts, but you can see how recent trends are setting up the company for the future by checking out our free report on Jiangsu Tongguang Electronic Wire & Cable's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

How Is Jiangsu Tongguang Electronic Wire & Cable's Growth Trending?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/E as steep as Jiangsu Tongguang Electronic Wire & Cable's is when the company's growth is on track to outshine the market decidedly.

If we review the last year of earnings, dishearteningly the company's profits fell to the tune of 39%. This has erased any of its gains during the last three years, with practically no change in EPS being achieved in total. So it appears to us that the company has had a mixed result in terms of growing earnings over that time.

Comparing that to the market, which is predicted to deliver 37% growth in the next 12 months, the company's downward momentum based on recent medium-term earnings results is a sobering picture.

With this information, we find it concerning that Jiangsu Tongguang Electronic Wire & Cable 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. There's a very good chance existing shareholders are setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/E falls to levels more in line with the recent negative growth rates.

What We Can Learn From Jiangsu Tongguang Electronic Wire & Cable's P/E?

Jiangsu Tongguang Electronic Wire & Cable's P/E is flying high just like its stock has during the last month. 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 Jiangsu Tongguang Electronic Wire & Cable currently trades on a much higher than expected P/E since its recent earnings have been in decline over the medium-term. Right now we are increasingly uncomfortable with the high P/E as this earnings performance is highly unlikely to support such positive sentiment for long. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve markedly, it's very challenging to accept these prices as being reasonable.

It is also worth noting that we have found 3 warning signs for Jiangsu Tongguang Electronic Wire & Cable (1 is significant!) that you need to take into consideration.

If P/E ratios interest you, you may wish to see this free collection of other companies with strong earnings growth and low P/E ratios.

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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.