China Science Publishing & Media Ltd.'s (SHSE:601858) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 43.6x might make it look like a sell right now compared to the market in China, where around half of the companies have P/E ratios below 34x and even P/E's below 20x are quite common. However, the P/E might be high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

Recent times have been pleasing for China Science Publishing & Media 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.

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

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/E as high as China Science Publishing & Media's is when the company's growth is on track to outshine the market.

If we review the last year of earnings, the company posted a result that saw barely any deviation from a year ago. Whilst it's an improvement, it wasn't enough to get the company out of the hole it was in, with earnings down 1.2% overall from three years ago. Therefore, it's fair to say the earnings growth recently has been undesirable for the company.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the one analyst covering the company suggest earnings should grow by 13% over the next year. Meanwhile, the rest of the market is forecast to expand by 44%, which is noticeably more attractive.

With this information, we find it concerning that China Science Publishing & Media is trading at a P/E higher than the market. Apparently many investors in the company are way more bullish than analysts indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock at any price. 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

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.

Our examination of China Science Publishing & Media'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. This places shareholders' investments at significant risk and potential investors in danger of paying an excessive premium.

It is also worth noting that we have found 2 warning signs for China Science Publishing & Media (1 doesn't sit too well with us!) that you need to take into consideration.

If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on China Science Publishing & Media, 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. 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.