Unfortunately for some shareholders, the Hi Sun Technology (China) Limited (HKG:818) share price has dived 26% in the last thirty days, prolonging recent pain. The drop over the last 30 days has capped off a tough year for shareholders, with the share price down 40% in that time.

Following the heavy fall in price, given about half the companies in Hong Kong have price-to-earnings ratios (or "P/E's") above 10x, you may consider Hi Sun Technology (China) as an attractive investment with its 5.6x P/E ratio. However, the P/E might be low for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

For instance, Hi Sun Technology (China)'s receding earnings in recent times would have to be some food for thought. One possibility is that the P/E is low because investors think the company won't do enough to avoid underperforming the broader market in the near future. 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 out of favour.

See our latest analysis for Hi Sun Technology (China)

We don't have analyst forecasts, but you can see how recent trends are setting up the company for the future by checking out our free report on Hi Sun Technology (China)'s earnings, revenue and cash flow.

How Is Hi Sun Technology (China)'s Growth Trending?

In order to justify its P/E ratio, Hi Sun Technology (China) would need to produce sluggish growth that's trailing the market.

If we review the last year of earnings, dishearteningly the company's profits fell to the tune of 72%. The last three years don't look nice either as the company has shrunk EPS by 96% in aggregate. So unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that the company has not done a great job of growing earnings over that time.

In contrast to the company, the rest of the market is expected to grow by 22% over the next year, which really puts the company's recent medium-term earnings decline into perspective.

With this information, we are not surprised that Hi Sun Technology (China) is trading at a P/E lower than the market. However, we think shrinking earnings are unlikely to lead to a stable P/E over the longer term, which could set up shareholders for future disappointment. There's potential for the P/E to fall to even lower levels if the company doesn't improve its profitability.

The Final Word

The softening of Hi Sun Technology (China)'s shares means its P/E is now sitting at a pretty low level. 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.

We've established that Hi Sun Technology (China) maintains its low P/E on the weakness of its sliding earnings over the medium-term, as expected. Right now shareholders are accepting the low P/E as they concede future earnings probably won't provide any pleasant surprises. If recent medium-term earnings trends continue, it's hard to see the share price moving strongly in either direction in the near future under these circumstances.

Before you take the next step, you should know about the 3 warning signs for Hi Sun Technology (China) (1 is a bit concerning!) that we have uncovered.

If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on Hi Sun Technology (China), explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.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.