Improved Revenues Required Before Xuancheng Valin Precision Technology Co., Ltd. (SHSE:603356) Stock's 38% Jump Looks Justified

Those holding Xuancheng Valin Precision Technology Co., Ltd. (SHSE:603356) shares would be relieved that the share price has rebounded 38% in the last thirty days, but it needs to keep going to repair the recent damage it has caused to investor portfolios. Not all shareholders will be feeling jubilant, since the share price is still down a very disappointing 12% in the last twelve months.

Even after such a large jump in price, Xuancheng Valin Precision Technology's price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 1.1x might still make it look like a buy right now compared to the Machinery industry in China, where around half of the companies have P/S ratios above 2.8x and even P/S above 5x are quite common. However, the P/S might be low for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

See our latest analysis for Xuancheng Valin Precision Technology

What Does Xuancheng Valin Precision Technology's Recent Performance Look Like?

As an illustration, revenue has deteriorated at Xuancheng Valin Precision Technology over the last year, which is not ideal at all. 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.

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 Xuancheng Valin Precision Technology's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The Low P/S Ratio?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/S as low as Xuancheng Valin Precision Technology's is when the company's growth is on track to lag the industry.

In reviewing the last year of financials, we were disheartened to see the company's revenues fell to the tune of 17%. The last three years don't look nice either as the company has shrunk revenue by 13% in aggregate. So unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that the company has not done a great job of growing revenue over that time.

Weighing that medium-term revenue trajectory against the broader industry's one-year forecast for expansion of 27% shows it's an unpleasant look.

In light of this, it's understandable that Xuancheng Valin Precision Technology's P/S would sit below the majority of other companies. 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. Even just maintaining these prices could be difficult to achieve as recent revenue trends are already weighing down the shares.

The Bottom Line On Xuancheng Valin Precision Technology's P/S

Despite Xuancheng Valin Precision Technology's share price climbing recently, its P/S still lags most other companies. 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.

It's no surprise that Xuancheng Valin Precision Technology maintains its low P/S off the back of its sliding revenue over the medium-term. At this stage investors feel the potential for an improvement in revenue isn't great enough to justify a higher P/S ratio. If recent medium-term revenue trends continue, it's hard to see the share price moving strongly in either direction in the near future under these circumstances.

It is also worth noting that we have found 2 warning signs for Xuancheng Valin Precision Technology (1 makes us a bit uncomfortable!) that you need to take into consideration.

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.