It's not a stretch to say that Shenzhen New Industries Biomedical Engineering Co., Ltd.'s (SZSE:300832) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 38.6x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" compared to the market in China, where the median P/E ratio is around 35x. However, investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/E.

Recent times have been pleasing for Shenzhen New Industries Biomedical Engineering as its earnings have risen in spite of the market's earnings going into reverse. One possibility is that the P/E is moderate because investors think the company's earnings will be less resilient moving forward. If not, then existing shareholders have reason to be feeling optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

Check out our latest analysis for Shenzhen New Industries Biomedical Engineering

Does Growth Match The P/E?

In order to justify its P/E ratio, Shenzhen New Industries Biomedical Engineering would need to produce growth that's similar to the market.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew earnings per share by an impressive 29% last year. Pleasingly, EPS has also lifted 62% in aggregate from three years ago, thanks to the last 12 months of growth. So we can start by confirming that the company has done a great job of growing earnings over that time.

Turning to the outlook, the next year should generate growth of 24% as estimated by the twelve analysts watching the company. With the market predicted to deliver 44% growth , the company is positioned for a weaker earnings result.

With this information, we find it interesting that Shenzhen New Industries Biomedical Engineering is trading at a fairly similar P/E to the market. It seems most investors are ignoring the fairly limited growth expectations and are willing to pay up for exposure to the stock. These shareholders may be setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/E falls to levels more in line with the growth outlook.

The Bottom Line On Shenzhen New Industries Biomedical Engineering's P/E

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.

We've established that Shenzhen New Industries Biomedical Engineering currently trades on a higher than expected P/E since its forecast growth is lower than the wider market. Right now we are uncomfortable with the P/E as the predicted future earnings aren't likely to support a more positive sentiment for long. Unless these conditions improve, it's challenging to accept these prices as being reasonable.

Before you take the next step, you should know about the 2 warning signs for Shenzhen New Industries Biomedical Engineering (1 is significant!) that we have uncovered.

If P/E ratios interest you, you may wish to see this free collection of other companies with strong earnings growth and low P/E ratios.

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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.