The Market Doesn't Like What It Sees From China Shenshan Orchard Holdings Co. Ltd.'s (SGX:BKV) Earnings Yet As Shares Tumble 48%

China Shenshan Orchard Holdings Co. Ltd. (SGX:BKV) shareholders won't be pleased to see that the share price has had a very rough month, dropping 48% and undoing the prior period's positive performance. For any long-term shareholders, the last month ends a year to forget by locking in a 63% share price decline.

Even after such a large drop in price, given about half the companies in Singapore have price-to-earnings ratios (or "P/E's") above 12x, you may still consider China Shenshan Orchard Holdings as a highly attractive investment with its 2.8x P/E ratio. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/E at face value as there may be an explanation why it's so limited.

For instance, China Shenshan Orchard Holdings' receding earnings in recent times would have to be some food for thought. It might be that many expect the disappointing earnings performance to continue or accelerate, which has repressed the P/E. However, if this doesn't eventuate then existing shareholders may be feeling optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

See our latest analysis for China Shenshan Orchard Holdings

Although there are no analyst estimates available for China Shenshan Orchard Holdings, take a look at this free data-rich visualisation to see how the company stacks up on earnings, revenue and cash flow.

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

China Shenshan Orchard Holdings' 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.

If we review the last year of earnings, dishearteningly the company's profits fell to the tune of 58%. At least EPS has managed not to go completely backwards from three years ago in aggregate, thanks to the earlier period of growth. Therefore, it's fair to say that earnings growth has been inconsistent recently for the company.

Weighing that recent medium-term earnings trajectory against the broader market's one-year forecast for expansion of 11% shows it's noticeably less attractive on an annualised basis.

With this information, we can see why China Shenshan Orchard Holdings is trading at a P/E lower than the market. Apparently many shareholders weren't comfortable holding on to something they believe will continue to trail the bourse.

The Final Word

Shares in China Shenshan Orchard Holdings have plummeted and its P/E is now low enough to touch the ground. Generally, our preference is to limit the use of the price-to-earnings ratio to establishing what the market thinks about the overall health of a company.

As we suspected, our examination of China Shenshan Orchard Holdings revealed its three-year earnings trends are contributing to its low P/E, given they look worse than current market expectations. Right now shareholders are accepting the low P/E as they concede future earnings probably won't provide any pleasant surprises. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve, they will continue to form a barrier for the share price around these levels.

Plus, you should also learn about these 3 warning signs we've spotted with China Shenshan Orchard Holdings (including 2 which are significant).

If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on China Shenshan Orchard Holdings, explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there.

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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.