There wouldn't be many who think China Overseas Property Holdings Limited's (HKG:2669) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 10.2x is worth a mention when the median P/E in Hong Kong is similar at about 10x. 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 China Overseas Property Holdings as its earnings have been rising faster than most other companies. One possibility is that the P/E is moderate because investors think this strong earnings performance might be about to tail off. If you like the company, you'd be hoping this isn't the case so that you could potentially pick up some stock while it's not quite in favour.

Check out our latest analysis for China Overseas Property Holdings

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How Is China Overseas Property Holdings' Growth Trending?

China Overseas Property 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.

If we review the last year of earnings growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 16%. Pleasingly, EPS has also lifted 114% in aggregate from three years ago, thanks to the last 12 months of growth. Accordingly, shareholders would have probably welcomed those medium-term rates of earnings growth.

Turning to the outlook, the next three years should generate growth of 13% per annum as estimated by the analysts watching the company. With the market predicted to deliver 13% growth per year, the company is positioned for a comparable earnings result.

In light of this, it's understandable that China Overseas Property Holdings' P/E sits in line with the majority of other companies. Apparently shareholders are comfortable to simply hold on while the company is keeping a low profile.

The Key Takeaway

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.

As we suspected, our examination of China Overseas Property Holdings' analyst forecasts revealed that its market-matching earnings outlook is contributing to its current P/E. At this stage investors feel the potential for an improvement or deterioration in earnings isn't great enough to justify a high or low P/E ratio. Unless these conditions change, they will continue to support the share price at these levels.

A lot of potential risks can sit within a company's balance sheet. Take a look at our free balance sheet analysis for China Overseas Property Holdings with six simple checks on some of these key factors.

If you're unsure about the strength of China Overseas Property Holdings' business, why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals for some other companies you may have missed.

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