The Tianjin Ruixin Technology Co.,Ltd (SZSE:300828) share price has done very well over the last month, posting an excellent gain of 35%. Unfortunately, despite the strong performance over the last month, the full year gain of 4.5% isn't as attractive.

Since its price has surged higher, Tianjin Ruixin TechnologyLtd's price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 38.8x might make it look like a sell right now compared to the market in China, where around half of the companies have P/E ratios below 32x and even P/E's below 19x are quite common. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the elevated P/E.

As an illustration, earnings have deteriorated at Tianjin Ruixin TechnologyLtd over the last year, which is not ideal at all. One possibility is that the P/E is high because investors think the company will still do 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.

How Is Tianjin Ruixin TechnologyLtd's Growth Trending?

In order to justify its P/E ratio, Tianjin Ruixin TechnologyLtd would need to produce impressive growth in excess of the market.

Taking a look back first, the company's earnings per share growth last year wasn't something to get excited about as it posted a disappointing decline of 29%. As a result, earnings from three years ago have also fallen 9.3% overall. Accordingly, shareholders would have felt downbeat about the medium-term rates of earnings growth.

In contrast to the company, the rest of the market is expected to grow by 37% over the next year, which really puts the company's recent medium-term earnings decline into perspective.

With this information, we find it concerning that Tianjin Ruixin TechnologyLtd is trading at a P/E higher than the market. 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 Tianjin Ruixin TechnologyLtd's P/E

Tianjin Ruixin TechnologyLtd's P/E is getting right up there since its shares have risen strongly. 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.

Our examination of Tianjin Ruixin TechnologyLtd revealed its shrinking earnings over the medium-term aren't impacting its high P/E anywhere near as much as we would have predicted, given the market is set to grow. Right now we are increasingly uncomfortable with the high P/E as this earnings performance is highly unlikely to support such positive sentiment for long. If recent medium-term earnings trends continue, it will place shareholders' investments at significant risk and potential investors in danger of paying an excessive premium.

Before you settle on your opinion, we've discovered 1 warning sign for Tianjin Ruixin TechnologyLtd that you should be aware of.

If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on Tianjin Ruixin 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.