Zhejiang Benli Technology Co., Ltd. (SZSE:301065) shares have had a really impressive month, gaining 42% after a shaky period beforehand. The bad news is that even after the stocks recovery in the last 30 days, shareholders are still underwater by about 3.6% over the last year.

Since its price has surged higher, Zhejiang Benli Technology may be sending bearish signals at the moment with its price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 35.7x, since almost half of all companies in China have P/E ratios under 27x and even P/E's lower than 16x are not unusual. However, the P/E might be high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

Earnings have risen firmly for Zhejiang Benli Technology recently, which is pleasing to see. One possibility is that the P/E is high because investors think this respectable earnings growth will be enough to outperform the broader market in the near future. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.

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

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/E as high as Zhejiang Benli Technology's is when the company's growth is on track to outshine the market.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company managed to grow earnings per share by a handy 12% last year. Still, lamentably EPS has fallen 44% in aggregate from three years ago, which is disappointing. Therefore, it's fair to say the earnings growth recently has been undesirable for the company.

In contrast to the company, the rest of the market is expected to grow by 36% over the next year, which really puts the company's recent medium-term earnings decline into perspective.

In light of this, it's alarming that Zhejiang Benli Technology's P/E sits above the majority of other companies. Apparently many investors in the company are way more bullish than recent times would indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock at any price. Only the boldest would assume these prices are sustainable as a continuation of recent earnings trends is likely to weigh heavily on the share price eventually.

The Bottom Line On Zhejiang Benli Technology's P/E

The large bounce in Zhejiang Benli Technology's shares has lifted the company's P/E to a fairly high level. Using the price-to-earnings ratio alone to determine if you should sell your stock isn't sensible, however it can be a practical guide to the company's future prospects.

We've established that Zhejiang Benli Technology currently trades on a much higher than expected P/E since its recent earnings have been in decline over the medium-term. When we see earnings heading backwards and underperforming the market forecasts, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, sending the high P/E lower. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve markedly, it's very challenging to accept these prices as being reasonable.

There are also other vital risk factors to consider and we've discovered 2 warning signs for Zhejiang Benli Technology (1 doesn't sit too well with us!) that you should be aware of before investing here.

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.