What Youngy Health Co., Ltd.'s (SZSE:300247) 26% Share Price Gain Is Not Telling You

Youngy Health Co., Ltd. (SZSE:300247) shareholders would be excited to see that the share price has had a great month, posting a 26% gain and recovering from prior weakness. Not all shareholders will be feeling jubilant, since the share price is still down a very disappointing 13% in the last twelve months.

Since its price has surged higher, given close to half the companies operating in China's Leisure industry have price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") below 3.2x, you may consider Youngy Health as a stock to potentially avoid with its 4.6x P/S ratio. However, the P/S might be high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

See our latest analysis for Youngy Health

What Does Youngy Health's P/S Mean For Shareholders?

Youngy Health has been doing a good job lately as it's been growing revenue at a solid pace. 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.

Want the full picture on earnings, revenue and cash flow for the company? Then our free report on Youngy Health will help you shine a light on its historical performance.

Is There Enough Revenue Growth Forecasted For Youngy Health?

In order to justify its P/S ratio, Youngy Health would need to produce impressive growth in excess of the industry.

If we review the last year of revenue growth, the company posted a worthy increase of 9.9%. Still, revenue has barely risen at all in aggregate from three years ago, which is not ideal. So it appears to us that the company has had a mixed result in terms of growing revenue over that time.

This is in contrast to the rest of the industry, which is expected to grow by 23% over the next year, materially higher than the company's recent medium-term annualised growth rates.

In light of this, it's alarming that Youngy Health's P/S sits above the majority of other companies. 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. Only the boldest would assume these prices are sustainable as a continuation of recent revenue trends is likely to weigh heavily on the share price eventually.

What Does Youngy Health's P/S Mean For Investors?

Youngy Health'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.

The fact that Youngy Health currently trades on a higher P/S relative to the industry is an oddity, since its recent three-year growth is lower than the wider industry forecast. Right now we aren't comfortable with the high P/S as this revenue performance isn't likely 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's always necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 2 warning signs with Youngy Health, and understanding these should be part of your investment process.

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.