Earnings Not Telling The Story For Persistence Resources Group Ltd (HKG:2489) After Shares Rise 41%

Despite an already strong run, Persistence Resources Group Ltd (HKG:2489) shares have been powering on, with a gain of 41% in the last thirty days. The annual gain comes to 128% following the latest surge, making investors sit up and take notice.

After such a large jump in price, Persistence Resources Group may be sending very bearish signals at the moment with a price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 29.6x, since almost half of all companies in Hong Kong have P/E ratios under 11x and even P/E's lower than 6x are not unusual. However, the P/E might be quite high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

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The earnings growth achieved at Persistence Resources Group over the last year would be more than acceptable for most companies. One possibility is that the P/E is high because investors think this respectable earnings growth will be enough to outperform the broader market in the near future. If not, then existing shareholders may be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.

View our latest analysis for Persistence Resources Group

Does Growth Match The High P/E?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/E as steep as Persistence Resources Group's is when the company's growth is on track to outshine the market decidedly.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew earnings per share by an impressive 22% last year. Despite this strong recent growth, it's still struggling to catch up as its three-year EPS frustratingly shrank by 100% overall. Accordingly, shareholders would have felt downbeat about the medium-term rates of earnings growth.

Weighing that medium-term earnings trajectory against the broader market's one-year forecast for expansion of 18% shows it's an unpleasant look.

With this information, we find it concerning that Persistence Resources Group is trading at a P/E higher than the market. Apparently many investors in the company are way more bullish than recent times would indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock at any price. There's a very good chance existing shareholders are setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/E falls to levels more in line with the recent negative growth rates.

The Key Takeaway

The strong share price surge has got Persistence Resources Group's P/E rushing to great heights as well. It's argued the price-to-earnings ratio is an inferior measure of value within certain industries, but it can be a powerful business sentiment indicator.

We've established that Persistence Resources Group currently trades on a much higher than expected P/E since its recent earnings have been in decline over the medium-term. Right now we are increasingly uncomfortable with the high P/E as this earnings performance is highly unlikely to support such positive sentiment for long. If recent medium-term earnings trends continue, it will place shareholders' investments at significant risk and potential investors in danger of paying an excessive premium.

Plus, you should also learn about this 1 warning sign we've spotted with Persistence Resources Group.

It's important to make sure you look for a great company, not just the first idea you come across. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and 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.