Investors Still Aren't Entirely Convinced By Anhui Annada Titanium Industry Co., Ltd.'s (SZSE:002136) Earnings Despite 33% Price Jump

Anhui Annada Titanium Industry Co., Ltd. (SZSE:002136) shareholders are no doubt pleased to see that the share price has bounced 33% in the last month, although it is still struggling to make up recently lost ground. Unfortunately, the gains of the last month did little to right the losses of the last year with the stock still down 38% over that time.

In spite of the firm bounce in price, Anhui Annada Titanium Industry's price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 12.5x might still make it look like a strong buy right now compared to the market in China, where around half of the companies have P/E ratios above 30x and even P/E's above 55x are quite common. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the highly reduced P/E.

For instance, Anhui Annada Titanium Industry's receding earnings in recent times would have to be some food for thought. 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. However, if this doesn't eventuate then existing shareholders may be feeling optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

Check out our latest analysis for Anhui Annada Titanium Industry

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

Does Growth Match The Low P/E?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/E as depressed as Anhui Annada Titanium Industry's is when the company's growth is on track to lag the market decidedly.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 39% decrease to the company's bottom line. Still, the latest three year period has seen an excellent 257% overall rise in EPS, in spite of its unsatisfying short-term performance. Although it's been a bumpy ride, it's still fair to say the earnings growth recently has been more than adequate 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 lower than the company's recent medium-term annualised growth rates.

With this information, we find it odd that Anhui Annada Titanium Industry is trading at a P/E lower than the market. It looks like most investors are not convinced the company can maintain its recent growth rates.

The Key Takeaway

Shares in Anhui Annada Titanium Industry are going to need a lot more upward momentum to get the company's P/E out of its slump. We'd say the price-to-earnings ratio's power isn't primarily as a valuation instrument but rather to gauge current investor sentiment and future expectations.

We've established that Anhui Annada Titanium Industry currently trades on a much lower than expected P/E since its recent three-year growth is higher than the wider market forecast. When we see strong earnings with faster-than-market growth, we assume potential risks are what might be placing significant pressure on the P/E ratio. It appears many are indeed anticipating earnings instability, because the persistence of these recent medium-term conditions would normally provide a boost to the share price.

We don't want to rain on the parade too much, but we did also find 3 warning signs for Anhui Annada Titanium Industry (1 is a bit concerning!) that you need to be mindful of.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with a strong growth track record, trading on 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.