Some Jin Medical International Ltd. (NASDAQ:ZJYL) Shareholders Look For Exit As Shares Take 27% Pounding

To the annoyance of some shareholders, Jin Medical International Ltd. (NASDAQ:ZJYL) shares are down a considerable 27% in the last month, which continues a horrid run for the company. For any long-term shareholders, the last month ends a year to forget by locking in a 74% share price decline.

In spite of the heavy fall in price, Jin Medical International may still be sending bearish signals at the moment with its price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 21.8x, since almost half of all companies in the United States have P/E ratios under 18x and even P/E's lower than 10x are not unusual. However, the P/E might be high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

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For instance, Jin Medical International's receding earnings in recent times would have to be some food for thought. One possibility is that the P/E is high because investors think the company will still do enough to outperform the broader market in the near future. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.

See our latest analysis for Jin Medical International

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

How Is Jin Medical International's Growth Trending?

Jin Medical International's P/E ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver solid growth, and importantly, perform better than the market.

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 39%. This means it has also seen a slide in earnings over the longer-term as EPS is down 99% in total over the last three years. So unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that the company has not done a great job of growing earnings over that time.

Comparing that to the market, which is predicted to deliver 16% growth in the next 12 months, the company's downward momentum based on recent medium-term earnings results is a sobering picture.

In light of this, it's alarming that Jin Medical International's P/E sits above the majority of other companies. Apparently many investors in the company are way more bullish than recent times would indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock at any price. Only the boldest would assume these prices are sustainable as a continuation of recent earnings trends is likely to weigh heavily on the share price eventually.

The Key Takeaway

There's still some solid strength behind Jin Medical International's P/E, if not its share price lately. 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.

We've established that Jin Medical International currently trades on a much higher than expected P/E since its recent earnings have been in decline over the medium-term. When we see earnings heading backwards and underperforming the market forecasts, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, sending the high P/E lower. If recent medium-term earnings trends continue, it will place shareholders' investments at significant risk and potential investors in danger of paying an excessive premium.

You should always think about risks. Case in point, we've spotted 4 warning signs for Jin Medical International you should be aware of, and 1 of them shouldn't be ignored.

If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on Jin Medical International, 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.