Shenzhou International Group Holdings Limited's (HKG:2313) 26% Share Price Plunge Could Signal Some Risk

Shenzhou International Group Holdings Limited (HKG:2313) shareholders that were waiting for something to happen have been dealt a blow with a 26% share price drop in the last month. Instead of being rewarded, shareholders who have already held through the last twelve months are now sitting on a 34% share price drop.

Although its price has dipped substantially, you could still be forgiven for feeling indifferent about Shenzhou International Group Holdings' P/E ratio of 10.7x, since the median price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio in Hong Kong is also close to 11x. While this might not raise any eyebrows, if the P/E ratio is not justified investors could be missing out on a potential opportunity or ignoring looming disappointment.

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Shenzhou International Group Holdings certainly has been doing a good job lately as it's been growing earnings more than most other companies. It might be that many expect the strong earnings performance to wane, which has kept the P/E from rising. 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 not quite in favour.

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How Is Shenzhou International Group Holdings' Growth Trending?

Shenzhou International Group Holdings' P/E ratio would be typical for a company that's only expected to deliver moderate growth, and importantly, perform in line with the market.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew earnings per share by an impressive 37% last year. Pleasingly, EPS has also lifted 85% in aggregate from three years ago, thanks to the last 12 months of growth. Therefore, it's fair to say the earnings growth recently has been superb for the company.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the analysts covering the company suggest earnings should grow by 10% per annum over the next three years. That's shaping up to be materially lower than the 14% per year growth forecast for the broader market.

With this information, we find it interesting that Shenzhou International Group Holdings is trading at a fairly similar P/E to the market. Apparently many investors in the company are less bearish than analysts indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock right now. Maintaining these prices will be difficult to achieve as this level of earnings growth is likely to weigh down the shares eventually.

The Bottom Line On Shenzhou International Group Holdings' P/E

Following Shenzhou International Group Holdings' share price tumble, its P/E is now hanging on to the median market P/E. Typically, we'd caution against reading too much into price-to-earnings ratios when settling on investment decisions, though it can reveal plenty about what other market participants think about the company.

We've established that Shenzhou International Group Holdings currently trades on a higher than expected P/E since its forecast growth is lower than the wider market. When we see a weak earnings outlook with slower than market growth, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, sending the moderate P/E lower. Unless these conditions improve, it's challenging to accept these prices as being reasonable.

You always need to take note of risks, for example - Shenzhou International Group Holdings has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of.

You might be able to find a better investment than Shenzhou International Group Holdings. 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.