Jinke Smart Services Group Co., Ltd.'s (HKG:9666) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 44x might make it look like a strong sell right now compared to the market in Hong Kong, where around half of the companies have P/E ratios below 11x and even P/E's below 6x 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.
Recent times have been advantageous for Jinke Smart Services Group as its earnings have been rising faster than most other companies. The P/E is probably high because investors think this strong earnings performance will continue. If not, then existing shareholders might be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.
Check out our latest analysis for Jinke Smart Services Group
If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report on Jinke Smart Services Group.Does Growth Match The High P/E?
The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/E as steep as Jinke Smart Services Group's is when the company's growth is on track to outshine the market decidedly.
Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew earnings per share by an impressive 54% last year. The strong recent performance means it was also able to grow EPS by 398% in total over the last three years. Therefore, it's fair to say the earnings growth recently has been superb for the company.
Turning to the outlook, the next three years should generate growth of 43% per annum as estimated by the twelve analysts watching the company. Meanwhile, the rest of the market is forecast to only expand by 20% each year, which is noticeably less attractive.
With this information, we can see why Jinke Smart Services Group is trading at such a high P/E compared to the market. It seems most investors are expecting this strong future growth and are willing to pay more for the stock.
The Final Word
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 Jinke Smart Services Group'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. It's hard to see the share price falling strongly in the near future under these circumstances.
Don't forget that there may be other risks. For instance, we've identified 2 warning signs for Jinke Smart Services Group (1 can't be ignored) you should be aware of.
If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on Jinke Smart Services Group, explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there.
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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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.
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About SEHK:9666
Jinke Smart Services Group
Provides space property management, community value-added, local catering, and smart living technology services in the People’s Republic of China.
Flawless balance sheet with moderate growth potential.