To the annoyance of some shareholders, Shanghai @hub Co.,Ltd. (SHSE:603881) shares are down a considerable 27% in the last month, which continues a horrid run for the company. Instead of being rewarded, shareholders who have already held through the last twelve months are now sitting on a 38% share price drop.

In spite of the heavy fall in price, given close to half the companies in China have price-to-earnings ratios (or "P/E's") below 26x, you may still consider Shanghai @hubLtd as a stock to avoid entirely with its 44.6x P/E ratio. However, the P/E might be quite high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

Recent times have been pleasing for Shanghai @hubLtd as its earnings have risen in spite of the market's earnings going into reverse. The P/E is probably high because investors think the company will continue to navigate the broader market headwinds better than most. If not, then existing shareholders might be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.

What Are Growth Metrics Telling Us About The High P/E?

There's an inherent assumption that a company should far outperform the market for P/E ratios like Shanghai @hubLtd's to be considered reasonable.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew earnings per share by an impressive 58% last year. Although, its longer-term performance hasn't been as strong with three-year EPS growth being relatively non-existent overall. So it appears to us that the company has had a mixed result in terms of growing earnings over that time.

Turning to the outlook, the next three years should generate growth of 55% per year as estimated by the eight analysts watching the company. That's shaping up to be materially higher than the 22% per year growth forecast for the broader market.

With this information, we can see why Shanghai @hubLtd is trading at such a high P/E compared to the market. Apparently shareholders aren't keen to offload something that is potentially eyeing a more prosperous future.

The Key Takeaway

Shanghai @hubLtd's shares may have retreated, but its P/E is still flying high. 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.

As we suspected, our examination of Shanghai @hubLtd's analyst forecasts revealed that its superior earnings outlook is contributing to its high P/E. At this stage investors feel the potential for a deterioration in earnings isn't great enough to justify a lower P/E ratio. It's hard to see the share price falling strongly in the near future under these circumstances.

Plus, you should also learn about these 2 warning signs we've spotted with Shanghai @hubLtd (including 1 which makes us a bit uncomfortable).

If you're unsure about the strength of Shanghai @hubLtd's business, why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals for some other companies you may have missed.

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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.