D&G Technology Holding Company Limited (HKG:1301) shares have had a horrible month, losing 30% after a relatively good period beforehand. Instead of being rewarded, shareholders who have already held through the last twelve months are now sitting on a 34% share price drop.
Although its price has dipped substantially, given close to half the companies operating in Hong Kong's Machinery industry have price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") below 0.7x, you may still consider D&G Technology Holding as a stock to potentially avoid with its 1.4x P/S ratio. However, the P/S might be high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.
Check out our latest analysis for D&G Technology Holding
What Does D&G Technology Holding's Recent Performance Look Like?
For instance, D&G Technology Holding's receding revenue in recent times would have to be some food for thought. It might be that many expect the company to still outplay most other companies over the coming period, which has kept the P/S from collapsing. If not, then existing shareholders may be quite nervous about the viability of the share price.
We don't have analyst forecasts, but you can see how recent trends are setting up the company for the future by checking out our free report on D&G Technology Holding's earnings, revenue and cash flow.How Is D&G Technology Holding's Revenue Growth Trending?
D&G Technology Holding's P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver solid growth, and importantly, perform better than the industry.
In reviewing the last year of financials, we were disheartened to see the company's revenues fell to the tune of 20%. This means it has also seen a slide in revenue over the longer-term as revenue is down 27% in total over the last three years. Accordingly, shareholders would have felt downbeat about the medium-term rates of revenue growth.
Comparing that to the industry, which is predicted to deliver 14% growth in the next 12 months, the company's downward momentum based on recent medium-term revenue results is a sobering picture.
With this information, we find it concerning that D&G Technology Holding is trading at a P/S higher than the industry. Apparently many investors in the company are way more bullish than recent times would indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock at any price. There's a very good chance existing shareholders are setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/S falls to levels more in line with the recent negative growth rates.
What We Can Learn From D&G Technology Holding's P/S?
There's still some elevation in D&G Technology Holding's P/S, even if the same can't be said for its share price recently. While the price-to-sales ratio shouldn't be the defining factor in whether you buy a stock or not, it's quite a capable barometer of revenue expectations.
Our examination of D&G Technology Holding revealed its shrinking revenue over the medium-term isn't resulting in a P/S as low as we expected, given the industry is set to grow. With a revenue decline on investors' minds, the likelihood of a souring sentiment is quite high which could send the P/S back in line with what we'd expect. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve markedly, investors will have a hard time accepting the share price as fair value.
Before you take the next step, you should know about the 2 warning signs for D&G Technology Holding that we have uncovered.
It's important to make sure you look for a great company, not just the first idea you come across. So if growing profitability aligns with your idea of a great company, take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and 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.