When you see that almost half of the companies in the Specialty Retail industry in Malaysia have price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") above 0.8x, Senheng New Retail Berhad (KLSE:SENHENG) looks to be giving off some buy signals with its 0.2x P/S ratio. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/S at face value as there may be an explanation why it's limited.
Check out our latest analysis for Senheng New Retail Berhad
For example, consider that Senheng New Retail Berhad's financial performance has been poor lately as its revenue has been in decline. Perhaps the market believes the recent revenue performance isn't good enough to keep up the industry, causing the P/S ratio to suffer. However, if this doesn't eventuate then existing shareholders may be feeling optimistic about the future direction of the share price.
Want the full picture on earnings, revenue and cash flow for the company? Then our free report on Senheng New Retail Berhad will help you shine a light on its historical performance.There's an inherent assumption that a company should underperform the industry for P/S ratios like Senheng New Retail Berhad's to be considered reasonable.
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 11%. As a result, revenue from three years ago have also fallen 28% overall. Therefore, it's fair to say the revenue growth recently has been undesirable for the company.
Weighing that medium-term revenue trajectory against the broader industry's one-year forecast for expansion of 8.3% shows it's an unpleasant look.
With this in mind, we understand why Senheng New Retail Berhad's P/S is lower than most of its industry peers. However, we think shrinking revenues are unlikely to lead to a stable P/S over the longer term, which could set up shareholders for future disappointment. There's potential for the P/S to fall to even lower levels if the company doesn't improve its top-line growth.
Typically, we'd caution against reading too much into price-to-sales ratios when settling on investment decisions, though it can reveal plenty about what other market participants think about the company.
It's no surprise that Senheng New Retail Berhad 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.
You need to take note of risks, for example - Senheng New Retail Berhad has 3 warning signs (and 1 which is significant) we think you should know about.
If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on Senheng New Retail Berhad, explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
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.