With a price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 48.5x Hangzhou EZVIZ Network Co., Ltd. (SHSE:688475) may be sending very bearish signals at the moment, given that almost half of all companies in China have P/E ratios under 30x and even P/E's lower than 18x are not unusual. However, the P/E might be quite high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

Recent times have been pleasing for Hangzhou EZVIZ Network as its earnings have risen in spite of the market's earnings going into reverse. The P/E is probably high because investors think the company will continue to navigate the broader market headwinds better than most. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.

How Is Hangzhou EZVIZ Network's Growth Trending?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/E as steep as Hangzhou EZVIZ Network's is when the company's growth is on track to outshine the market decidedly.

If we review the last year of earnings growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 36%. The strong recent performance means it was also able to grow EPS by 37% 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 24% during the coming year according to the nine analysts following the company. With the market predicted to deliver 41% growth , the company is positioned for a weaker earnings result.

In light of this, it's alarming that Hangzhou EZVIZ Network's P/E sits above the majority of other companies. 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 Final Word

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 Hangzhou EZVIZ Network'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. Unless these conditions improve markedly, it's very challenging to accept these prices as being reasonable.

The company's balance sheet is another key area for risk analysis. You can assess many of the main risks through our free balance sheet analysis for Hangzhou EZVIZ Network with six simple checks.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with a strong growth track record, trading on a low P/E.

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