It's not a stretch to say that Gaodi Holdings Limited's (HKG:1676) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.3x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" for companies in the Food industry in Hong Kong, where the median P/S ratio is around 0.7x. However, investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/S.
See our latest analysis for Gaodi Holdings
The revenue growth achieved at Gaodi Holdings over the last year would be more than acceptable for most companies. It might be that many expect the respectable revenue performance to wane, which has kept the P/S from rising. If that doesn't eventuate, then existing shareholders probably aren't too pessimistic 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 Gaodi Holdings' earnings, revenue and cash flow.In order to justify its P/S ratio, Gaodi Holdings would need to produce growth that's similar to the industry.
If we review the last year of revenue growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 23%. The strong recent performance means it was also able to grow revenue by 180% in total over the last three years. So we can start by confirming that the company has done a great job of growing revenue over that time.
Comparing that recent medium-term revenue trajectory with the industry's one-year growth forecast of 4.6% shows it's noticeably more attractive.
In light of this, it's curious that Gaodi Holdings' P/S sits in line with the majority of other companies. It may be that most investors are not convinced the company can maintain its recent growth rates.
Generally, our preference is to limit the use of the price-to-sales ratio to establishing what the market thinks about the overall health of a company.
We've established that Gaodi Holdings currently trades on a lower than expected P/S since its recent three-year growth is higher than the wider industry forecast. There could be some unobserved threats to revenue preventing the P/S ratio from matching this positive performance. At least the risk of a price drop looks to be subdued if recent medium-term revenue trends continue, but investors seem to think future revenue could see some volatility.
Before you take the next step, you should know about the 4 warning signs for Gaodi Holdings (2 are a bit concerning!) that we have uncovered.
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.