BOE Technology Group Company Limited's (SZSE:000725) Popularity With Investors Is Clear

BOE Technology Group Company Limited's (SZSE:000725) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 67.3x 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 30x and even P/E's below 19x are quite common. However, the P/E might be quite high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

BOE Technology Group could be doing better as its earnings have been going backwards lately while most other companies have been seeing positive earnings growth. It might be that many expect the dour earnings performance to recover substantially, which has kept the P/E from collapsing. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.

View our latest analysis for BOE Technology Group

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Does Growth Match The High P/E?

BOE Technology Group'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.

If we review the last year of earnings, dishearteningly the company's profits fell to the tune of 65%. As a result, earnings from three years ago have also fallen 51% overall. So unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that the company has not done a great job of growing earnings over that time.

Looking ahead now, EPS is anticipated to climb by 78% per year during the coming three years according to the analysts following the company. With the market only predicted to deliver 21% per year, the company is positioned for a stronger earnings result.

In light of this, it's understandable that BOE Technology Group's P/E sits above the majority of other companies. Apparently shareholders aren't keen to offload something that is potentially eyeing a more prosperous future.

What We Can Learn From BOE Technology Group'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.

We've established that BOE Technology Group maintains its high P/E on the strength of its forecast growth being higher than the wider market, as expected. 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.

It's always necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 3 warning signs with BOE Technology Group, and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

It's important to make sure you look for a great company, not just the first idea you come across. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and a low P/E).

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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.