With a price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 3.3x Wise Ally International Holdings Limited (HKG:9918) may be sending very bullish signals at the moment, given that almost half of all companies in Hong Kong have P/E ratios greater than 10x and even P/E's higher than 20x are not unusual. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the highly reduced P/E.
With earnings growth that's exceedingly strong of late, Wise Ally International Holdings has been doing very well. It might be that many expect the strong earnings performance to degrade substantially, which has repressed the P/E. If that doesn't eventuate, then existing shareholders have reason to be quite optimistic about the future direction of the share price.
See our latest analysis for Wise Ally International Holdings
Is There Any Growth For Wise Ally International Holdings?
In order to justify its P/E ratio, Wise Ally International Holdings would need to produce anemic growth that's substantially trailing the market.
Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew earnings per share by an impressive 84% last year. The latest three year period has also seen a 16% 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.
Comparing that to the market, which is predicted to deliver 23% growth in the next 12 months, the company's momentum is weaker based on recent medium-term annualised earnings results.
With this information, we can see why Wise Ally International 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
We'd say the price-to-earnings ratio's power isn't primarily as a valuation instrument but rather to gauge current investor sentiment and future expectations.
As we suspected, our examination of Wise Ally International Holdings revealed its three-year earnings trends are contributing to its low P/E, given they look worse than current market expectations. At this stage investors feel the potential for an improvement in earnings isn't great enough to justify a higher P/E ratio. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve, they will continue to form a barrier for the share price around these levels.
You should always think about risks. Case in point, we've spotted 3 warning signs for Wise Ally International Holdings you should be aware of, and 2 of them are concerning.
Of course, you might also be able to find a better stock than Wise Ally International 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.