Despite an already strong run, Transmit Entertainment Limited (HKG:1326) shares have been powering on, with a gain of 26% in the last thirty days. The last 30 days bring the annual gain to a very sharp 26%.
In spite of the firm bounce in price, Transmit Entertainment's price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.4x might still make it look like a buy right now compared to the Entertainment industry in Hong Kong, where around half of the companies have P/S ratios above 1.5x and even P/S above 4x are quite common. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the reduced P/S.
View our latest analysis for Transmit Entertainment
How Transmit Entertainment Has Been Performing
Transmit Entertainment certainly has been doing a great job lately as it's been growing its revenue at a really rapid pace. It might be that many expect the strong revenue performance to degrade substantially, which has repressed the P/S ratio. If that doesn't eventuate, then existing shareholders have reason to be quite optimistic about the future direction 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 Transmit Entertainment's earnings, revenue and cash flow.What Are Revenue Growth Metrics Telling Us About The Low P/S?
The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/S as low as Transmit Entertainment's is when the company's growth is on track to lag the industry.
If we review the last year of revenue growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 76%. Despite this strong recent growth, it's still struggling to catch up as its three-year revenue frustratingly shrank by 36% overall. So unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that the company has not done a great job of growing revenues over that time.
Comparing that to the industry, which is predicted to deliver 12% growth in the next 12 months, the company's downward momentum based on recent medium-term revenue results is a sobering picture.
In light of this, it's understandable that Transmit Entertainment's P/S would sit below the majority of other companies. Nonetheless, there's no guarantee the P/S has reached a floor yet with revenue going in reverse. There's potential for the P/S to fall to even lower levels if the company doesn't improve its top-line growth.
The Key Takeaway
Despite Transmit Entertainment's share price climbing recently, its P/S still lags most other companies. We'd say the price-to-sales ratio's power isn't primarily as a valuation instrument but rather to gauge current investor sentiment and future expectations.
It's no surprise that Transmit Entertainment maintains its low P/S off the back of its sliding revenue over the medium-term. Right now shareholders are accepting the low P/S as they concede future revenue probably won't provide any pleasant surprises either. Given the current circumstances, it seems unlikely that the share price will experience any significant movement in either direction in the near future if recent medium-term revenue trends persist.
Before you take the next step, you should know about the 4 warning signs for Transmit Entertainment (3 are a bit unpleasant!) 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.