With a price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 35.6x US Foods Holding Corp. (NYSE:USFD) may be sending very bearish signals at the moment, given that almost half of all companies in the United States have P/E ratios under 18x 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.

This technology could replace computers: discover the 20 stocks are working to make quantum computing a reality.

There hasn't been much to differentiate US Foods 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.

Check out our latest analysis for US Foods Holding

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

How Is US Foods Holding's Growth Trending?

In order to justify its P/E ratio, US Foods Holding would need to produce outstanding growth well in excess of the market.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company managed to grow earnings per share by a handy 6.9% last year. This was backed up an excellent period prior to see EPS up by 252% in total over the last three years. So we can start by confirming that the company has done a great job of growing earnings over that time.

Turning to the outlook, the next three years should generate growth of 25% per year as estimated by the analysts watching the company. That's shaping up to be materially higher than the 11% per annum growth forecast for the broader market.

With this information, we can see why US Foods Holding 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 Key Takeaway

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.

As we suspected, our examination of US Foods Holding'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. Unless these conditions change, they will continue to provide strong support to the share price.

And what about other risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for US Foods Holding 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.

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.