AInnovation Technology Group Co., Ltd (HKG:2121) shareholders are no doubt pleased to see that the share price has bounced 33% in the last month, although it is still struggling to make up recently lost ground. Not all shareholders will be feeling jubilant, since the share price is still down a very disappointing 15% in the last twelve months.
Although its price has surged higher, you could still be forgiven for feeling indifferent about AInnovation Technology Group's P/S ratio of 1.7x, since the median price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio for the Software industry in Hong Kong is also close to 1.9x. However, investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/S.
View our latest analysis for AInnovation Technology Group
How AInnovation Technology Group Has Been Performing
AInnovation Technology Group could be doing better as its revenue has been going backwards lately while most other companies have been seeing positive revenue growth. It might be that many expect the dour revenue performance to strengthen positively, which has kept the P/S from falling. However, if this isn't the case, investors might get caught out paying too much for the stock.
Keen to find out how analysts think AInnovation Technology Group's future stacks up against the industry? In that case, our free report is a great place to start.What Are Revenue Growth Metrics Telling Us About The P/S?
AInnovation Technology Group's P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's only expected to deliver moderate growth, and importantly, perform in line with the industry.
Taking a look back first, the company's revenue growth last year wasn't something to get excited about as it posted a disappointing decline of 30%. Even so, admirably revenue has lifted 42% in aggregate from three years ago, notwithstanding the last 12 months. Although it's been a bumpy ride, it's still fair to say the revenue growth recently has been more than adequate for the company.
Shifting to the future, estimates from the three analysts covering the company suggest revenue should grow by 19% each year over the next three years. Meanwhile, the rest of the industry is forecast to expand by 36% each year, which is noticeably more attractive.
With this information, we find it interesting that AInnovation Technology Group is trading at a fairly similar P/S compared to the industry. Apparently many investors in the company are less bearish than analysts indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock right now. These shareholders may be setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/S falls to levels more in line with the growth outlook.
What Does AInnovation Technology Group's P/S Mean For Investors?
AInnovation Technology Group appears to be back in favour with a solid price jump bringing its P/S back in line with other companies in the industry 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.
Given that AInnovation Technology Group's revenue growth projections are relatively subdued in comparison to the wider industry, it comes as a surprise to see it trading at its current P/S ratio. At present, we aren't confident in the P/S as the predicted future revenues aren't likely to support a more positive sentiment for long. Circumstances like this present a risk to current and prospective investors who may see share prices fall if the low revenue growth impacts the sentiment.
Before you take the next step, you should know about the 2 warning signs for AInnovation Technology Group that we have uncovered.
Of course, profitable companies with a history of great earnings growth are generally safer bets. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have reasonable P/E ratios and have grown earnings strongly.
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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.