Gansu Yatai Industrial Developent Co.,Ltd.'s (SZSE:000691) 26% Price Boost Is Out Of Tune With Revenues

Gansu Yatai Industrial Developent Co.,Ltd. (SZSE:000691) shareholders have had their patience rewarded with a 26% share price jump in the last month. Longer-term shareholders would be thankful for the recovery in the share price since it's now virtually flat for the year after the recent bounce.

Following the firm bounce in price, given close to half the companies operating in China's Chemicals industry have price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") below 1.9x, you may consider Gansu Yatai Industrial DevelopentLtd as a stock to potentially avoid with its 3.7x P/S ratio. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the elevated P/S.

View our latest analysis for Gansu Yatai Industrial DevelopentLtd

What Does Gansu Yatai Industrial DevelopentLtd's Recent Performance Look Like?

For instance, Gansu Yatai Industrial DevelopentLtd's receding revenue in recent times would have to be some food for thought. It might be that many expect the company to still outplay most other companies over the coming period, which has kept the P/S from collapsing. If not, then existing shareholders may be quite 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 Gansu Yatai Industrial DevelopentLtd will help you shine a light on its historical performance.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The High P/S Ratio?

In order to justify its P/S ratio, Gansu Yatai Industrial DevelopentLtd would need to produce impressive growth in excess of the industry.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 26% decrease to the company's top line. This means it has also seen a slide in revenue over the longer-term as revenue is down 16% in total over the last three years. Therefore, it's fair to say the revenue growth recently has been undesirable for the company.

In contrast to the company, the rest of the industry is expected to grow by 23% over the next year, which really puts the company's recent medium-term revenue decline into perspective.

In light of this, it's alarming that Gansu Yatai Industrial DevelopentLtd'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. There's a very good chance existing shareholders are setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/S falls to levels more in line with the recent negative growth rates.

What We Can Learn From Gansu Yatai Industrial DevelopentLtd's P/S?

Gansu Yatai Industrial DevelopentLtd's P/S is on the rise since its shares have risen strongly. 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 Gansu Yatai Industrial DevelopentLtd currently trades on a much higher than expected P/S since its recent revenues have been in decline over the medium-term. When we see revenue heading backwards and underperforming the industry forecasts, we feel the possibility of the share price declining is very real, bringing the P/S back into the realm of reasonability. Unless the the circumstances surrounding the recent medium-term improve, it wouldn't be wrong to expect a a difficult period ahead for the company's shareholders.

You should always think about risks. Case in point, we've spotted 1 warning sign for Gansu Yatai Industrial DevelopentLtd 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).

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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.