Wintime Energy Group Co.,Ltd.'s (SHSE:600157) Earnings Are Not Doing Enough For Some Investors

Wintime Energy Group Co.,Ltd.'s (SHSE:600157) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 15.2x might 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 31x and even P/E's above 57x 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.

Recent times have been pleasing for Wintime Energy GroupLtd as its earnings have risen in spite of the market's earnings going into reverse. 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 not, then existing shareholders have reason to be quite optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

View our latest analysis for Wintime Energy GroupLtd

If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report on Wintime Energy GroupLtd.

Does Growth Match The Low P/E?

Wintime Energy GroupLtd's P/E ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver very poor growth or even falling earnings, and importantly, perform much worse than the market.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company managed to grow earnings per share by a handy 4.6% last year. Pleasingly, EPS has also lifted 1,179% in aggregate from three years ago, partly thanks to the last 12 months of growth. Accordingly, shareholders would have probably welcomed those medium-term rates of earnings growth.

Looking ahead now, EPS is anticipated to climb by 28% during the coming year according to the three analysts following the company. That's shaping up to be materially lower than the 41% growth forecast for the broader market.

With this information, we can see why Wintime Energy GroupLtd is trading at a P/E lower than the market. Apparently many shareholders weren't comfortable holding on while the company is potentially eyeing a less prosperous future.

The Key Takeaway

Using the price-to-earnings ratio alone to determine if you should sell your stock isn't sensible, however it can be a practical guide to the company's future prospects.

As we suspected, our examination of Wintime Energy GroupLtd's analyst forecasts revealed that its inferior earnings outlook is contributing to its low P/E. Right now shareholders are accepting the low P/E as they concede future earnings probably won't provide any pleasant surprises. Unless these conditions improve, they will continue to form a barrier for the share price around these levels.

Having said that, be aware Wintime Energy GroupLtd is showing 1 warning sign in our investment analysis, you should know about.

You might be able to find a better investment than Wintime Energy GroupLtd. If you want a selection of possible candidates, check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a low P/E (but have proven they can grow earnings).

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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.