When close to half the companies in China have price-to-earnings ratios (or "P/E's") below 29x, you may consider Huizhou Desay SV Automotive Co., Ltd. (SZSE:002920) as a stock to potentially avoid with its 37.4x 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 as high as it is.

With its earnings growth in positive territory compared to the declining earnings of most other companies, Huizhou Desay SV Automotive has been doing quite well of late. It seems that many are expecting the company to continue defying the broader market adversity, which has increased investors' willingness to pay up for the stock. If not, then existing shareholders might be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.

View our latest analysis for Huizhou Desay SV Automotive

Is There Enough Growth For Huizhou Desay SV Automotive?

There's an inherent assumption that a company should outperform the market for P/E ratios like Huizhou Desay SV Automotive's to be considered reasonable.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew earnings per share by an impressive 41% last year. The latest three year period has also seen an excellent 208% 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.

Looking ahead now, EPS is anticipated to climb by 30% during the coming year according to the analysts following the company. With the market predicted to deliver 42% growth , the company is positioned for a weaker earnings result.

With this information, we find it concerning that Huizhou Desay SV Automotive is trading at a P/E higher than the market. It seems most investors are hoping for a turnaround in the company's business prospects, but the analyst cohort is not so confident this will happen. Only the boldest would assume these prices are sustainable as this level of earnings growth is likely to weigh heavily on the share price eventually.

The Bottom Line On Huizhou Desay SV Automotive's P/E

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 Huizhou Desay SV Automotive's analyst forecasts revealed that its inferior earnings outlook isn't impacting its high P/E anywhere near as much as we would have predicted. When we see a weak earnings outlook with slower than market growth, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, sending the high P/E lower. This places shareholders' investments at significant risk and potential investors in danger of paying an excessive premium.

Before you take the next step, you should know about the 1 warning sign for Huizhou Desay SV Automotive that we have uncovered.

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.