Geovis Technology Co.,Ltd's (SHSE:688568) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 53.2x might make it look like a strong sell right now compared to the market in China, where around half of the companies have P/E ratios below 30x and even P/E's below 18x are quite common. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/E at face value as there may be an explanation why it's so lofty.

Recent times have been advantageous for Geovis TechnologyLtd as its earnings have been rising faster than most other companies. The P/E is probably high because investors think this strong earnings performance will continue. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.

Is There Enough Growth For Geovis TechnologyLtd?

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

Retrospectively, the last year delivered an exceptional 34% gain to the company's bottom line. The latest three year period has also seen an excellent 76% overall rise in EPS, aided by its short-term performance. 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 three years should generate growth of 36% per annum as estimated by the six analysts watching the company. Meanwhile, the rest of the market is forecast to only expand by 25% each year, which is noticeably less attractive.

With this information, we can see why Geovis TechnologyLtd is trading at such a high P/E compared to the market. It seems most investors are expecting this strong future growth and are willing to pay more for the stock.

The Key Takeaway

It's argued the price-to-earnings ratio is an inferior measure of value within certain industries, but it can be a powerful business sentiment indicator.

As we suspected, our examination of Geovis TechnologyLtd's analyst forecasts revealed that its superior earnings outlook is contributing to its high P/E. Right now shareholders are comfortable with the P/E as they are quite confident future earnings aren't under threat. It's hard to see the share price falling strongly in the near future under these circumstances.

You should always think about risks. Case in point, we've spotted 1 warning sign for Geovis TechnologyLtd you should be aware of.

If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on Geovis TechnologyLtd, explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there.

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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.

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