Zhongji Innolight Co., Ltd. (SZSE:300308) shareholders have had their patience rewarded with a 26% share price jump in the last month. The last month tops off a massive increase of 276% in the last year.

Following the firm bounce in price, Zhongji Innolight's price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 58.8x 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 25x and even P/E's below 15x are quite common. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the highly elevated P/E.

Recent times have been pleasing for Zhongji Innolight as its earnings have risen in spite of the market's earnings going into reverse. 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.

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

Zhongji Innolight'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.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered an exceptional 42% gain to the company's bottom line. The strong recent performance means it was also able to grow EPS by 97% in total over the last three years. 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 59% each year during the coming three years according to the analysts following the company. With the market only predicted to deliver 22% each year, the company is positioned for a stronger earnings result.

In light of this, it's understandable that Zhongji Innolight'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 Bottom Line On Zhongji Innolight's P/E

The strong share price surge has got Zhongji Innolight's P/E rushing to great heights as well. 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 Zhongji Innolight'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. Unless these conditions change, they will continue to provide strong support to the share price.

And what about other risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Zhongji Innolight you should know about.

If you're unsure about the strength of Zhongji Innolight's business, why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals for some other companies you may have missed.

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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.