Greentown China Holdings Limited's (HKG:3900) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 7.7x might make it look like a buy right now compared to the market in Hong Kong, where around half of the companies have P/E ratios above 10x and even P/E's above 20x are quite common. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the reduced P/E.

Greentown China Holdings hasn't been tracking well recently as its declining earnings compare poorly to other companies, which have seen some growth on average. It seems that many are expecting the dour earnings performance to persist, which has repressed the P/E. If this is the case, then existing shareholders will probably struggle to get excited about the future direction of the share price.

View our latest analysis for Greentown China Holdings

If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report on Greentown China Holdings.

What Are Growth Metrics Telling Us About The Low P/E?

Greentown China Holdings' P/E ratio would be typical for a company that's only expected to deliver limited growth, and importantly, perform worse than the market.

Taking a look back first, the company's earnings per share growth last year wasn't something to get excited about as it posted a disappointing decline of 24%. As a result, earnings from three years ago have also fallen 7.9% overall. Therefore, it's fair to say the earnings growth recently has been undesirable for the company.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the eleven analysts covering the company suggest earnings should grow by 3.6% per year over the next three years. Meanwhile, the rest of the market is forecast to expand by 13% each year, which is noticeably more attractive.

In light of this, it's understandable that Greentown China Holdings' P/E sits below the majority of other companies. Apparently many shareholders weren't comfortable holding on while the company is potentially eyeing a less prosperous future.

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 Greentown China Holdings' analyst forecasts revealed that its inferior earnings outlook is contributing to its low P/E. Right now shareholders are accepting the low P/E as they concede future earnings probably won't provide any pleasant surprises. Unless these conditions improve, they will continue to form a barrier for the share price around these levels.

You need to take note of risks, for example - Greentown China Holdings has 5 warning signs (and 1 which is concerning) we think you should know about.

You might be able to find a better investment than Greentown China Holdings. If you want a selection of possible candidates, check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a low P/E (but have proven they can grow earnings).

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