China Resources Mixc Lifestyle Services Limited's (HKG:1209) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 17.6x 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 10x and even P/E's below 5x are quite common. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the highly elevated P/E.

With earnings growth that's superior to most other companies of late, China Resources Mixc Lifestyle Services has been doing relatively well. 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.

View our latest analysis for China Resources Mixc Lifestyle Services

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Is There Enough Growth For China Resources Mixc Lifestyle Services?

In order to justify its P/E ratio, China Resources Mixc Lifestyle Services would need to produce outstanding growth well in excess of the market.

If we review the last year of earnings growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 33%. Pleasingly, EPS has also lifted 134% in aggregate from three years ago, thanks to the last 12 months of growth. Therefore, it's fair to say the earnings growth recently has been superb for the company.

Looking ahead now, EPS is anticipated to climb by 12% per year during the coming three years according to the analysts following the company. With the market predicted to deliver 13% growth per year, the company is positioned for a comparable earnings result.

With this information, we find it interesting that China Resources Mixc Lifestyle Services is trading at a high P/E compared to the market. Apparently many investors in the company are more bullish than analysts indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock right now. Although, additional gains will be difficult to achieve as this level of earnings growth is likely to weigh down the share price eventually.

The Final Word

It's argued the price-to-earnings ratio is an inferior measure of value within certain industries, but it can be a powerful business sentiment indicator.

Our examination of China Resources Mixc Lifestyle Services' analyst forecasts revealed that its market-matching earnings outlook isn't impacting its high P/E as much as we would have predicted. When we see an average earnings outlook with market-like growth, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, sending the high P/E lower. This places shareholders' investments at risk and potential investors in danger of paying an unnecessary premium.

A lot of potential risks can sit within a company's balance sheet. Take a look at our free balance sheet analysis for China Resources Mixc Lifestyle Services with six simple checks on some of these key factors.

If you're unsure about the strength of China Resources Mixc Lifestyle Services' business, why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals for some other companies you may have missed.

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