Unpleasant Surprises Could Be In Store For New East New Materials Co., Ltd's (SHSE:603110) Shares

New East New Materials Co., Ltd's (SHSE:603110) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 9.3x may look like a poor investment opportunity when you consider close to half the companies in the Chemicals industry in China have P/S ratios below 1.9x. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/S at face value as there may be an explanation why it's so lofty.

See our latest analysis for New East New Materials

What Does New East New Materials' Recent Performance Look Like?

The recent revenue growth at New East New Materials would have to be considered satisfactory if not spectacular. Perhaps the market believes the recent revenue performance is strong enough to outperform the industry, which has inflated the P/S ratio. If not, then existing shareholders may be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.

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

Is There Enough Revenue Growth Forecasted For New East New Materials?

New East New Materials' P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver very strong growth, and importantly, perform much better than the industry.

If we review the last year of revenue growth, the company posted a worthy increase of 5.0%. Although, the latest three year period in total hasn't been as good as it didn't manage to provide any growth at all. 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 25% over the next year, materially higher than the company's recent medium-term annualised growth rates.

With this information, we find it concerning that New East New Materials 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 good chance existing shareholders are setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/S falls to levels more in line with recent growth rates.

The Bottom Line On New East New Materials' P/S

We'd say the price-to-sales ratio's power isn't primarily as a valuation instrument but rather to gauge current investor sentiment and future expectations.

The fact that New East New Materials 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. When we see slower than industry revenue growth but an elevated P/S, there's considerable risk of the share price declining, sending the P/S lower. 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.

And what about other risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for New East New Materials (of which 2 are concerning!) you should know about.

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.