Singamas Container Holdings Limited (HKG:716) shareholders would be excited to see that the share price has had a great month, posting a 39% gain and recovering from prior weakness. The last 30 days bring the annual gain to a very sharp 36%.
Even after such a large jump in price, it's still not a stretch to say that Singamas Container Holdings' price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 11.8x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" compared to the market in Hong Kong, where the median P/E ratio is around 10x. 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.
For example, consider that Singamas Container Holdings' financial performance has been poor lately as its earnings have been in decline. It might be that many expect the company to put the disappointing earnings performance behind them over the coming period, which has kept the P/E from falling. If not, then existing shareholders may be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.
View our latest analysis for Singamas Container Holdings
Is There Some Growth For Singamas Container Holdings?
There's an inherent assumption that a company should be matching the market for P/E ratios like Singamas Container Holdings' to be considered reasonable.
If we review the last year of earnings, dishearteningly the company's profits fell to the tune of 58%. However, a few very strong years before that means that it was still able to grow EPS by an impressive 331% in total over the last three years. Although it's been a bumpy ride, it's still fair to say the earnings growth recently has been more than adequate for the company.
Weighing that recent medium-term earnings trajectory against the broader market's one-year forecast for expansion of 21% shows it's noticeably more attractive on an annualised basis.
In light of this, it's curious that Singamas Container Holdings' P/E sits in line with the majority of other companies. It may be that most investors are not convinced the company can maintain its recent growth rates.
The Final Word
Its shares have lifted substantially and now Singamas Container Holdings' P/E is also back up to the market median. While the price-to-earnings ratio shouldn't be the defining factor in whether you buy a stock or not, it's quite a capable barometer of earnings expectations.
Our examination of Singamas Container Holdings 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 Singamas Container Holdings is showing 1 warning sign in our investment analysis, you should know about.
Of course, you might also be able to find a better stock than Singamas Container Holdings. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have reasonable P/E ratios and have grown earnings strongly.
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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.