The UP Fintech Holding Limited (NASDAQ:TIGR) share price has softened a substantial 32% over the previous 30 days, handing back much of the gains the stock has made lately. Longer-term, the stock has been solid despite a difficult 30 days, gaining 21% in the last year.

In spite of the heavy fall in price, UP Fintech Holding may still be sending very bearish signals at the moment with a price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 41.7x, since almost half of all companies in the United States have P/E ratios under 19x and even P/E's lower than 11x 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.

There hasn't been much to differentiate UP Fintech Holding's and the market's earnings growth lately. It might be that many expect the mediocre earnings performance to strengthen positively, which has kept the P/E from falling. If not, then existing shareholders may be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.

See our latest analysis for UP Fintech Holding

If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report on UP Fintech Holding.

Does Growth Match The High P/E?

There's an inherent assumption that a company should far outperform the market for P/E ratios like UP Fintech Holding's to be considered reasonable.

If we review the last year of earnings, the company posted a result that saw barely any deviation from a year ago. Although pleasingly EPS has lifted 56% in aggregate from three years ago, notwithstanding the last 12 months. 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 38% each year as estimated by the four analysts watching the company. With the market only predicted to deliver 10% each year, the company is positioned for a stronger earnings result.

With this information, we can see why UP Fintech Holding 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 Bottom Line On UP Fintech Holding's P/E

A significant share price dive has done very little to deflate UP Fintech Holding's very lofty P/E. Generally, our preference is to limit the use of the price-to-earnings ratio to establishing what the market thinks about the overall health of a company.

We've established that UP Fintech Holding 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. 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 2 warning signs for UP Fintech Holding (1 is potentially serious) you should be aware of.

You might be able to find a better investment than UP Fintech Holding. If you want a selection of possible candidates, check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a low P/E (but have proven they can grow earnings).

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.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.