Getting In Cheap On Tianyang New Materials (Shanghai) Technology Co., Ltd. (SHSE:603330) Is Unlikely

It's not a stretch to say that Tianyang New Materials (Shanghai) Technology Co., Ltd.'s (SHSE:603330) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 1.6x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" for companies in the Chemicals industry in China, where the median P/S ratio is around 2.1x. Although, it's not wise to simply ignore the P/S without explanation as investors may be disregarding a distinct opportunity or a costly mistake.

View our latest analysis for Tianyang New Materials (Shanghai) Technology

How Has Tianyang New Materials (Shanghai) Technology Performed Recently?

It looks like revenue growth has deserted Tianyang New Materials (Shanghai) Technology recently, which is not something to boast about. Perhaps the market believes the recent run-of-the-mill revenue performance isn't enough to outperform the industry, which has kept the P/S muted. Those who are bullish on Tianyang New Materials (Shanghai) Technology will be hoping that this isn't the case, so that they can pick up the stock at a lower valuation.

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 Tianyang New Materials (Shanghai) Technology's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The P/S Ratio?

Tianyang New Materials (Shanghai) Technology's P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's only expected to deliver moderate growth, and importantly, perform in line with the industry.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered virtually the same number to the company's top line as the year before. Still, the latest three year period has seen an excellent 55% overall rise in revenue, in spite of its uninspiring short-term performance. Accordingly, shareholders will be pleased, but also have some questions to ponder about the last 12 months.

Comparing the recent medium-term revenue trends against the industry's one-year growth forecast of 21% shows it's noticeably less attractive.

With this in mind, we find it intriguing that Tianyang New Materials (Shanghai) Technology's P/S is comparable to that of its industry peers. It seems most investors are ignoring the fairly limited recent growth rates and are willing to pay up for exposure to the stock. Maintaining these prices will be difficult to achieve as a continuation of recent revenue trends is likely to weigh down the shares eventually.

The Key Takeaway

It's argued the price-to-sales ratio is an inferior measure of value within certain industries, but it can be a powerful business sentiment indicator.

We've established that Tianyang New Materials (Shanghai) Technology's average P/S is a bit surprising since its recent three-year growth is lower than the wider industry forecast. Right now we are uncomfortable with the P/S as this revenue performance isn't likely to support a more positive sentiment for long. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve, it's hard to accept the current share price as fair value.

Don't forget that there may be other risks. For instance, we've identified 2 warning signs for Tianyang New Materials (Shanghai) Technology that you should be aware of.

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.