Bright Dairy & Food Co.,Ltd's (SHSE:600597) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 39.9x 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 30x and even P/E's below 19x are quite common. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the elevated P/E.

While the market has experienced earnings growth lately, Bright Dairy & FoodLtd's earnings have gone into reverse gear, which is not great. One possibility is that the P/E is high because investors think this poor earnings performance will turn the corner. If not, then existing shareholders may be extremely nervous about the viability of the share price.

Keen to find out how analysts think Bright Dairy & FoodLtd's future stacks up against the industry? In that case, our free report is a great place to start.

How Is Bright Dairy & FoodLtd's Growth Trending?

In order to justify its P/E ratio, Bright Dairy & FoodLtd would need to produce impressive growth in excess of the market.

Taking a look back first, the company's earnings per share growth last year wasn't something to get excited about as it posted a disappointing decline of 43%. As a result, earnings from three years ago have also fallen 43% overall. Accordingly, shareholders would have felt downbeat about the medium-term rates of earnings growth.

Looking ahead now, EPS is anticipated to climb by 139% during the coming year according to the six analysts following the company. With the market only predicted to deliver 36%, the company is positioned for a stronger earnings result.

With this information, we can see why Bright Dairy & FoodLtd 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 Bright Dairy & FoodLtd's P/E

Using the price-to-earnings ratio alone to determine if you should sell your stock isn't sensible, however it can be a practical guide to the company's future prospects.

We've established that Bright Dairy & FoodLtd maintains its high P/E on the strength of its forecast growth being higher than the wider market, as expected. At this stage investors feel the potential for a deterioration in earnings isn't great enough to justify a lower P/E ratio. It's hard to see the share price falling strongly in the near future under these circumstances.

And what about other risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Bright Dairy & FoodLtd you should know about.

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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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.