What does the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio indicate?

The price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is a critical financial metric used to assess the valuation of a company's stock. It represents the relationship between the market price of a company's shares and its earnings per share (EPS). Specifically, the P/E ratio illustrates how much investors are willing to pay for each dollar of earnings that the company generates.

When investors evaluate a stock, they often look at the P/E ratio to gauge whether a company's stock is overvalued or undervalued. A higher P/E ratio may suggest that investors expect future growth in earnings, while a lower ratio might indicate that the stock is undervalued or that the company is experiencing challenges. This metric is particularly useful for comparing companies within the same industry, providing insights into market expectations for earnings growth.

The other choices refer to different financial metrics or concepts, such as income generation, sales performance, or equity, but they do not accurately define the purpose of the P/E ratio. Thus, option C succinctly captures the essence of what the P/E ratio conveys to investors regarding earnings valuation in the stock market.