In the current session, Vale Inc. (NYSE:VALE) is trading at $9.24, after a 2.38% decrease. Over the past month, the stock decreased by 5.76%, and in the past year, by 39.18%. With performance like this, long-term shareholders are more likely to start looking into the company's price-to-earnings ratio.

A Look at Vale P/E Relative to Its Competitors

The P/E ratio is used by long-term shareholders to assess the company's market performance against aggregate market data, historical earnings, and the industry at large. A lower P/E could indicate that shareholders do not expect the stock to perform better in the future or it could mean that the company is undervalued.

Vale has a lower P/E than the aggregate P/E of 20.63 of the Metals & Mining industry. Ideally, one might believe that the stock might perform worse than its peers, but it's also probable that the stock is undervalued.

In conclusion, the price-to-earnings ratio is a useful metric for analyzing a company's market performance, but it has its limitations. While a lower P/E can indicate that a company is undervalued, it can also suggest that shareholders do not expect future growth. Additionally, the P/E ratio should not be used in isolation, as other factors such as industry trends and business cycles can also impact a company's stock price. Therefore, investors should use the P/E ratio in conjunction with other financial metrics and qualitative analysis to make informed investment decisions.