Those holding JiangSu JiuWu Hi-Tech Co., Ltd. (SZSE:300631) shares would be relieved that the share price has rebounded 26% in the last thirty days, but it needs to keep going to repair the recent damage it has caused to investor portfolios. Not all shareholders will be feeling jubilant, since the share price is still down a very disappointing 20% in the last twelve months.

Since its price has surged higher, JiangSu JiuWu Hi-Tech may be sending very bearish signals at the moment with a price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 64x, since almost half of all companies in China have P/E ratios under 31x and even P/E's lower than 19x are not unusual. 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.

Recent times have been pleasing for JiangSu JiuWu Hi-Tech 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.

Does Growth Match The High P/E?

JiangSu JiuWu Hi-Tech'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.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company managed to grow earnings per share by a handy 4.6% last year. Still, lamentably EPS has fallen 53% in aggregate from three years ago, which is disappointing. Therefore, it's fair to say the earnings growth recently has been undesirable for the company.

Turning to the outlook, the next year should generate growth of 346% as estimated by the only analyst watching the company. That's shaping up to be materially higher than the 41% growth forecast for the broader market.

With this information, we can see why JiangSu JiuWu Hi-Tech is trading at such a high P/E compared to the market. Apparently shareholders aren't keen to offload something that is potentially eyeing a more prosperous future.

The Bottom Line On JiangSu JiuWu Hi-Tech's P/E

The strong share price surge has got JiangSu JiuWu Hi-Tech's P/E rushing to great heights as well. While the price-to-earnings ratio shouldn't be the defining factor in whether you buy a stock or not, it's quite a capable barometer of earnings expectations.

As we suspected, our examination of JiangSu JiuWu Hi-Tech'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.

Don't forget that there may be other risks. For instance, we've identified 1 warning sign for JiangSu JiuWu Hi-Tech that you should be aware of.

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.