When close to half the companies in China have price-to-earnings ratios (or "P/E's") below 27x, you may consider Shaanxi Huaqin Technology Industry Co.,Ltd. (SHSE:688281) as a stock to avoid entirely with its 45.5x P/E ratio. 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.

While the market has experienced earnings growth lately, Shaanxi Huaqin Technology IndustryLtd's earnings have gone into reverse gear, which is not great. One possibility is that the P/E is high because investors think this poor earnings performance will turn the corner. If not, then existing shareholders may be extremely nervous about the viability of the share price.

Is There Enough Growth For Shaanxi Huaqin Technology IndustryLtd?

Shaanxi Huaqin Technology IndustryLtd's P/E ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver very strong growth, and importantly, perform much better than the market.

If we review the last year of earnings, dishearteningly the company's profits fell to the tune of 13%. Regardless, EPS has managed to lift by a handy 16% in aggregate from three years ago, thanks to the earlier period of growth. Accordingly, while they would have preferred to keep the run going, shareholders would be roughly satisfied with the medium-term rates of earnings growth.

Turning to the outlook, the next three years should generate growth of 32% each year as estimated by the six analysts watching the company. With the market only predicted to deliver 24% per year, the company is positioned for a stronger earnings result.

In light of this, it's understandable that Shaanxi Huaqin Technology IndustryLtd's P/E sits above the majority of other companies. It seems most investors are expecting this strong future growth and are willing to pay more for the stock.

The Key Takeaway

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 Shaanxi Huaqin Technology IndustryLtd'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.

Don't forget that there may be other risks. For instance, we've identified 1 warning sign for Shaanxi Huaqin Technology IndustryLtd that you should be aware of.

You might be able to find a better investment than Shaanxi Huaqin Technology IndustryLtd. If you want a selection of possible candidates, check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a low P/E (but have proven they can grow earnings).

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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.