With a price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 12.7x Fu Shou Yuan International Group Limited (HKG:1448) may be sending bearish signals at the moment, given that almost half of all companies in Hong Kong have P/E ratios under 9x and even P/E's lower than 5x are not unusual. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the elevated P/E.
With earnings growth that's superior to most other companies of late, Fu Shou Yuan International Group has been doing relatively well. It seems that many are expecting the strong earnings performance to persist, which has raised the P/E. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.
Check out our latest analysis for Fu Shou Yuan International Group
How Is Fu Shou Yuan International Group's Growth Trending?
There's an inherent assumption that a company should outperform the market for P/E ratios like Fu Shou Yuan International Group's to be considered reasonable.
If we review the last year of earnings growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 20%. The latest three year period has also seen a 27% overall rise in EPS, aided extensively by its short-term performance. So we can start by confirming that the company has actually done a good job of growing earnings over that time.
Shifting to the future, estimates from the five analysts covering the company suggest earnings should grow by 13% per annum over the next three years. Meanwhile, the rest of the market is forecast to expand by 15% each year, which is noticeably more attractive.
With this information, we find it concerning that Fu Shou Yuan International Group is trading at a P/E higher than the market. It seems most investors are hoping for a turnaround in the company's business prospects, but the analyst cohort is not so confident this will happen. There's a good chance these shareholders are setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/E falls to levels more in line with the growth outlook.
The Key Takeaway
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.
Our examination of Fu Shou Yuan International Group's analyst forecasts revealed that its inferior earnings outlook isn't impacting its high P/E anywhere near as much as we would have predicted. When we see a weak earnings outlook with slower than market growth, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, sending the high P/E lower. This places shareholders' investments at significant risk and potential investors in danger of paying an excessive premium.
The company's balance sheet is another key area for risk analysis. You can assess many of the main risks through our free balance sheet analysis for Fu Shou Yuan International Group with six simple checks.
Of course, you might also be able to find a better stock than Fu Shou Yuan International Group. 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.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com