This article is for investors who would like to improve their understanding of price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). We'll show how you can use Guangdong Land Holdings Limited's (HKG:124) P/E ratio to inform your assessment of the investment opportunity. What is Guangdong Land Holdings's P/E ratio? Well, based on the last twelve months it is 16.18. In other words, at today's prices, investors are paying HK$16.18 for every HK$1 in prior year profit.

View our latest analysis for Guangdong Land Holdings

How Do You Calculate A P/E Ratio?

The formula for price to earnings is:

Price to Earnings Ratio = Price per Share ÷ Earnings per Share (EPS)

Or for Guangdong Land Holdings:

P/E of 16.18 = HKD1.21 ÷ HKD0.07 (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2019.)

Is A High Price-to-Earnings Ratio Good?

A higher P/E ratio implies that investors pay a higher price for the earning power of the business. That isn't a good or a bad thing on its own, but a high P/E means that buyers have a higher opinion of the business's prospects, relative to stocks with a lower P/E.

How Does Guangdong Land Holdings's P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers?

We can get an indication of market expectations by looking at the P/E ratio. You can see in the image below that the average P/E (6.5) for companies in the real estate industry is lower than Guangdong Land Holdings's P/E.

Guangdong Land Holdings's P/E tells us that market participants think the company will perform better than its industry peers, going forward. The market is optimistic about the future, but that doesn't guarantee future growth. So investors should always consider the P/E ratio alongside other factors, such as whether company directors have been buying shares.

How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

Probably the most important factor in determining what P/E a company trades on is the earnings growth. When earnings grow, the 'E' increases, over time. That means unless the share price increases, the P/E will reduce in a few years. And as that P/E ratio drops, the company will look cheap, unless its share price increases.

Guangdong Land Holdings increased earnings per share by an impressive 14% over the last twelve months. In contrast, EPS has decreased by 7.9%, annually, over 5 years.

Don't Forget: The P/E Does Not Account For Debt or Bank Deposits

Don't forget that the P/E ratio considers market capitalization. So it won't reflect the advantage of cash, or disadvantage of debt. Theoretically, a business can improve its earnings (and produce a lower P/E in the future) by investing in growth. That means taking on debt (or spending its cash).

Such spending might be good or bad, overall, but the key point here is that you need to look at debt to understand the P/E ratio in context.

So What Does Guangdong Land Holdings's Balance Sheet Tell Us?

Guangdong Land Holdings has net debt worth 74% of its market capitalization. If you want to compare its P/E ratio to other companies, you should absolutely keep in mind it has significant borrowings.

The Verdict On Guangdong Land Holdings's P/E Ratio

Guangdong Land Holdings's P/E is 16.2 which is above average (10.0) in its market. It's good to see the recent earnings growth, although we note the company uses debt already. It seems the market believes growth will continue, judging by the P/E ratio.

Investors have an opportunity when market expectations about a stock are wrong. People often underestimate remarkable growth -- so investors can make money when fast growth is not fully appreciated. So this free visual report on analyst forecasts could hold the key to an excellent investment decision.

But note: Guangdong Land Holdings may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and a P/E ratio below 20).

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.