Beijing Haixin Energy Technology Co.,Ltd.'s (SZSE:300072) Shares Lagging The Industry But So Is The Business

Beijing Haixin Energy Technology Co.,Ltd.'s (SZSE:300072) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.8x 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 2x and even P/S above 5x are quite common. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/S at face value as there may be an explanation why it's limited.

See our latest analysis for Beijing Haixin Energy TechnologyLtd

What Does Beijing Haixin Energy TechnologyLtd's P/S Mean For Shareholders?

For example, consider that Beijing Haixin Energy TechnologyLtd's financial performance has been poor lately as its revenue has been in decline. One possibility is that the P/S is low because investors think the company won't do enough to avoid underperforming the broader industry in the near future. However, if this doesn't eventuate then existing shareholders may be feeling optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

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 Beijing Haixin Energy TechnologyLtd's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The Low P/S Ratio?

Beijing Haixin Energy TechnologyLtd'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%. 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. Accordingly, shareholders would have felt downbeat about the medium-term rates of revenue growth.

Comparing that to the industry, which is predicted to deliver 23% growth in the next 12 months, the company's downward momentum based on recent medium-term revenue results is a sobering picture.

In light of this, it's understandable that Beijing Haixin Energy TechnologyLtd's P/S would sit below the majority of other companies. Nonetheless, there's no guarantee the P/S has reached a floor yet with revenue going in reverse. 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 Beijing Haixin Energy TechnologyLtd's P/S Mean For Investors?

Generally, our preference is to limit the use of the price-to-sales ratio to establishing what the market thinks about the overall health of a company.

As we suspected, our examination of Beijing Haixin Energy TechnologyLtd revealed its shrinking revenue over the medium-term is contributing to its low P/S, given the industry is set to grow. At this stage investors feel the potential for an improvement in revenue isn't great enough to justify a higher P/S ratio. Given the current circumstances, it seems unlikely that the share price will experience any significant movement in either direction in the near future if recent medium-term revenue trends persist.

Many other vital risk factors can be found on the company's balance sheet. Take a look at our free balance sheet analysis for Beijing Haixin Energy TechnologyLtd with six simple checks on some of these key factors.

If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on Beijing Haixin Energy TechnologyLtd, explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there.

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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.