Grand Ming Group Holdings Limited's (HKG:1271) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 2.9x may look like a poor investment opportunity when you consider close to half the companies in the Construction industry in Hong Kong have P/S ratios below 0.3x. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/S at face value as there may be an explanation why it's so lofty.
View our latest analysis for Grand Ming Group Holdings
What Does Grand Ming Group Holdings' P/S Mean For Shareholders?
Grand Ming Group Holdings certainly has been doing a great job lately as it's been growing its revenue at a really rapid pace. Perhaps the market is expecting future revenue performance to outperform the wider market, which has seemingly got people interested in the stock. However, if this isn't the case, investors might get caught out paying too much for the stock.
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 Grand Ming Group Holdings' earnings, revenue and cash flow.What Are Revenue Growth Metrics Telling Us About The High P/S?
Grand Ming Group Holdings' P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver very strong growth, and importantly, perform much better than the industry.
If we review the last year of revenue growth, we see the company's revenues grew exponentially. Despite this strong recent growth, it's still struggling to catch up as its three-year revenue frustratingly shrank by 21% 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 8.9% growth in the next 12 months, the company's downward momentum based on recent medium-term revenue results is a sobering picture.
With this in mind, we find it worrying that Grand Ming Group Holdings' P/S exceeds that of its industry peers. 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. Only the boldest would assume these prices are sustainable as a continuation of recent revenue trends is likely to weigh heavily on the share price eventually.
The Key Takeaway
Using the price-to-sales 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.
We've established that Grand Ming Group Holdings currently trades on a much higher than expected P/S since its recent revenues have been in decline over the medium-term. Right now we aren't comfortable with the high P/S as this revenue performance is highly unlikely to support such positive sentiment for long. If recent medium-term revenue trends continue, it will place shareholders' investments at significant risk and potential investors in danger of paying an excessive premium.
There are also other vital risk factors to consider and we've discovered 2 warning signs for Grand Ming Group Holdings (1 makes us a bit uncomfortable!) that you should be aware of before investing here.
If strong companies turning a profit tickle your fancy, then you'll want to check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a low P/E (but have proven they can grow earnings).
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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.