Little Excitement Around Sichuan Yahua Industrial Group Co., Ltd.'s (SZSE:002497) Revenues

Sichuan Yahua Industrial Group Co., Ltd.'s (SZSE:002497) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.9x might make it look like a buy right now compared to the Chemicals industry in China, where around half of the companies have P/S ratios above 1.8x and even P/S above 4x are quite common. However, the P/S might be low for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

View our latest analysis for Sichuan Yahua Industrial Group

How Has Sichuan Yahua Industrial Group Performed Recently?

While the industry has experienced revenue growth lately, Sichuan Yahua Industrial Group's revenue has gone into reverse gear, which is not great. Perhaps the P/S remains low as investors think the prospects of strong revenue growth aren't on the horizon. So while you could say the stock is cheap, investors will be looking for improvement before they see it as good value.

If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report on Sichuan Yahua Industrial Group.

How Is Sichuan Yahua Industrial Group's Revenue Growth Trending?

Sichuan Yahua Industrial Group's P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's only expected to deliver limited growth, and importantly, perform worse than the industry.

In reviewing the last year of financials, we were disheartened to see the company's revenues fell to the tune of 28%. Still, the latest three year period has seen an excellent 193% overall rise in revenue, in spite of its unsatisfying short-term performance. So we can start by confirming that the company has generally done a very good job of growing revenue over that time, even though it had some hiccups along the way.

Looking ahead now, revenue is anticipated to slump, contracting by 16% during the coming year according to the three analysts following the company. With the industry predicted to deliver 24% growth, that's a disappointing outcome.

In light of this, it's understandable that Sichuan Yahua Industrial Group's P/S would sit below the majority of other companies. However, shrinking revenues are unlikely to lead to a stable P/S over the longer term. There's potential for the P/S to fall to even lower levels if the company doesn't improve its top-line growth.

What Does Sichuan Yahua Industrial Group's P/S Mean For Investors?

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.

As we suspected, our examination of Sichuan Yahua Industrial Group's analyst forecasts revealed that its outlook for shrinking revenue is contributing to its low P/S. Right now shareholders are accepting the low P/S as they concede future revenue probably won't provide any pleasant surprises. Unless there's material change, it's hard to envision a situation where the stock price will rise drastically.

The company's balance sheet is another key area for risk analysis. Our free balance sheet analysis for Sichuan Yahua Industrial Group with six simple checks will allow you to discover any risks that could be an issue.

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.

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