Stock Analysis

Smoore International Holdings Limited's (HKG:6969) P/E Is Still On The Mark Following 26% Share Price Bounce

SEHK:6969
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Smoore International Holdings Limited (HKG:6969) shareholders would be excited to see that the share price has had a great month, posting a 26% gain and recovering from prior weakness. Not all shareholders will be feeling jubilant, since the share price is still down a very disappointing 30% in the last twelve months.

Following the firm bounce in price, Smoore International Holdings may be sending very bearish signals at the moment with a price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 22.4x, since almost half of all companies in Hong Kong have P/E ratios under 8x and even P/E's lower than 4x are not unusual. However, the P/E might be quite high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

Smoore International Holdings has been struggling lately as its earnings have declined faster than most other companies. It might be that many expect the dismal earnings performance to recover substantially, which has kept the P/E from collapsing. If not, then existing shareholders may be very nervous about the viability of the share price.

Check out our latest analysis for Smoore International Holdings

pe-multiple-vs-industry
SEHK:6969 Price to Earnings Ratio vs Industry March 12th 2024
If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report on Smoore International Holdings.

What Are Growth Metrics Telling Us About The High P/E?

There's an inherent assumption that a company should far outperform the market for P/E ratios like Smoore International Holdings' to be considered reasonable.

Taking a look back first, the company's earnings per share growth last year wasn't something to get excited about as it posted a disappointing decline of 49%. As a result, earnings from three years ago have also fallen 26% overall. Accordingly, shareholders would have felt downbeat about the medium-term rates of earnings growth.

Turning to the outlook, the next year should generate growth of 27% as estimated by the eleven analysts watching the company. With the market only predicted to deliver 23%, the company is positioned for a stronger earnings result.

In light of this, it's understandable that Smoore International Holdings' P/E sits above the majority of other companies. Apparently shareholders aren't keen to offload something that is potentially eyeing a more prosperous future.

What We Can Learn From Smoore International Holdings' P/E?

Shares in Smoore International Holdings have built up some good momentum lately, which has really inflated its P/E. 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.

As we suspected, our examination of Smoore International Holdings' analyst forecasts revealed that its superior earnings outlook is contributing to its high P/E. At this stage investors feel the potential for a deterioration in earnings isn't great enough to justify a lower P/E ratio. Unless these conditions change, they will continue to provide strong support to the share price.

Don't forget that there may be other risks. For instance, we've identified 1 warning sign for Smoore International Holdings that you should be aware of.

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.

Valuation is complex, but we're helping make it simple.

Find out whether Smoore International Holdings is potentially over or undervalued by checking out our comprehensive analysis, which includes fair value estimates, risks and warnings, dividends, insider transactions and financial health.

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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.