Despite an already strong run, Huarui Electrical Appliance Co.,Ltd. (SZSE:300626) shares have been powering on, with a gain of 36% in the last thirty days. Looking further back, the 15% rise over the last twelve months isn't too bad notwithstanding the strength over the last 30 days.
Since its price has surged higher, you could be forgiven for thinking Huarui Electrical ApplianceLtd is a stock not worth researching with a price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") of 2.8x, considering almost half the companies in China's Electrical industry have P/S ratios below 2.2x. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the elevated P/S.
See our latest analysis for Huarui Electrical ApplianceLtd
Revenue has risen firmly for Huarui Electrical ApplianceLtd recently, which is pleasing to see. It might be that many expect the respectable revenue performance to beat most other companies over the coming period, which has increased investors’ willingness to pay up for the stock. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.
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 Huarui Electrical ApplianceLtd's earnings, revenue and cash flow.Huarui Electrical ApplianceLtd's P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver solid growth, and importantly, perform better than the industry.
Taking a look back first, we see that the company managed to grow revenues by a handy 9.0% last year. Still, lamentably revenue has fallen 26% in aggregate from three years ago, which is disappointing. So unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that the company has not done a great job of growing revenue over that time.
In contrast to the company, the rest of the industry is expected to grow by 23% over the next year, which really puts the company's recent medium-term revenue decline into perspective.
With this information, we find it concerning that Huarui Electrical ApplianceLtd 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.
Huarui Electrical ApplianceLtd's P/S is on the rise since its shares have risen strongly. 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 Huarui Electrical ApplianceLtd 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. 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.
It is also worth noting that we have found 2 warning signs for Huarui Electrical ApplianceLtd (1 doesn't sit too well with us!) that you need to take into consideration.
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.