It's Down 32% But Southeast Asia Properties & Finance Limited (HKG:252) Could Be Riskier Than It Looks

Southeast Asia Properties & Finance Limited (HKG:252) shareholders that were waiting for something to happen have been dealt a blow with a 32% 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 41% share price drop.

Even after such a large drop in price, it's still not a stretch to say that Southeast Asia Properties & Finance's price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 7.6x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" compared to the market in Hong Kong, where the median P/E ratio is around 9x. 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.

Recent times have been quite advantageous for Southeast Asia Properties & Finance as its earnings have been rising very briskly. It might be that many expect the strong earnings performance to wane, which has kept the P/E from rising. If that doesn't eventuate, then existing shareholders have reason to be feeling optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

See our latest analysis for Southeast Asia Properties & Finance

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 Southeast Asia Properties & Finance's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

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

There's an inherent assumption that a company should be matching the market for P/E ratios like Southeast Asia Properties & Finance's to be considered reasonable.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew earnings per share by an impressive 103% last year. Pleasingly, EPS has also lifted 800% in aggregate from three years ago, thanks to the last 12 months of growth. Accordingly, shareholders would have probably welcomed those medium-term rates of earnings growth.

Comparing that to the market, which is only predicted to deliver 19% growth in the next 12 months, the company's momentum is stronger based on recent medium-term annualised earnings results.

With this information, we find it interesting that Southeast Asia Properties & Finance is trading at a fairly similar P/E to the market. Apparently some shareholders believe the recent performance is at its limits and have been accepting lower selling prices.

The Final Word

With its share price falling into a hole, the P/E for Southeast Asia Properties & Finance looks quite average now. 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.

Our examination of Southeast Asia Properties & Finance revealed its three-year earnings trends aren't contributing to its P/E as much as we would have predicted, given they look better than current market expectations. When we see strong earnings with faster-than-market growth, we assume potential risks are what might be placing pressure on the P/E ratio. At least the risk of a price drop looks to be subdued if recent medium-term earnings trends continue, but investors seem to think future earnings could see some volatility.

Having said that, be aware Southeast Asia Properties & Finance is showing 2 warning signs in our investment analysis, you should know about.

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.

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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.