YesAsia Holdings Limited (HKG:2209) shareholders would be excited to see that the share price has had a great month, posting a 31% gain and recovering from prior weakness. The last 30 days were the cherry on top of the stock's 422% gain in the last year, which is nothing short of spectacular.
In spite of the firm bounce in price, there still wouldn't be many who think YesAsia Holdings' price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 11.3x is worth a mention when the median P/E in Hong Kong is similar at about 11x. Although, it's not wise to simply ignore the P/E without explanation as investors may be disregarding a distinct opportunity or a costly mistake.
Recent times have been advantageous for YesAsia Holdings as its earnings have been rising faster than most other companies. It might be that many expect the strong earnings performance to wane, which has kept the P/E from rising. If not, then existing shareholders have reason to be feeling optimistic about the future direction of the share price.
Check out our latest analysis for YesAsia Holdings
Is There Some Growth For YesAsia Holdings?
YesAsia Holdings' P/E ratio would be typical for a company that's only expected to deliver moderate growth, and importantly, perform in line with the market.
Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew earnings per share by an impressive 148% last year. Although, its longer-term performance hasn't been as strong with three-year EPS growth being relatively non-existent overall. Therefore, it's fair to say that earnings growth has been inconsistent recently for the company.
Shifting to the future, estimates from the sole analyst covering the company suggest earnings should grow by 42% per annum over the next three years. Meanwhile, the rest of the market is forecast to only expand by 15% per annum, which is noticeably less attractive.
In light of this, it's curious that YesAsia Holdings' P/E sits in line with the majority of other companies. Apparently some shareholders are skeptical of the forecasts and have been accepting lower selling prices.
What We Can Learn From YesAsia Holdings' P/E?
YesAsia Holdings appears to be back in favour with a solid price jump getting its P/E back in line with most other companies. 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.
Our examination of YesAsia Holdings' analyst forecasts revealed that its superior earnings outlook isn't contributing to its P/E as much as we would have predicted. There could be some unobserved threats to earnings preventing the P/E ratio from matching the positive outlook. At least the risk of a price drop looks to be subdued, but investors seem to think future earnings could see some volatility.
It is also worth noting that we have found 1 warning sign for YesAsia Holdings that you need to take into consideration.
Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with a strong growth track record, trading on a low P/E.
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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.