Fujian Dongbai (Group) Co.,Ltd.'s (SHSE:600693) Shares Climb 32% But Its Business Is Yet to Catch Up

Fujian Dongbai (Group) Co.,Ltd. (SHSE:600693) shares have continued their recent momentum with a 32% gain in the last month alone. Taking a wider view, although not as strong as the last month, the full year gain of 10% is also fairly reasonable.

In spite of the firm bounce in price, there still wouldn't be many who think Fujian Dongbai (Group)Ltd's price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 2.3x is worth a mention when the median P/S in China's Multiline Retail industry is similar at about 2.1x. While this might not raise any eyebrows, if the P/S ratio is not justified investors could be missing out on a potential opportunity or ignoring looming disappointment.

Check out our latest analysis for Fujian Dongbai (Group)Ltd

How Fujian Dongbai (Group)Ltd Has Been Performing

For example, consider that Fujian Dongbai (Group)Ltd's financial performance has been pretty ordinary lately as revenue growth is non-existent. One possibility is that the P/S is moderate because investors think this benign revenue growth rate might not be enough to outperform the broader industry in the near future. If not, then existing shareholders may be feeling hopeful about the future direction of the share price.

Although there are no analyst estimates available for Fujian Dongbai (Group)Ltd, take a look at this free data-rich visualisation to see how the company stacks up on earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The P/S Ratio?

In order to justify its P/S ratio, Fujian Dongbai (Group)Ltd would need to produce growth that's similar to the industry.

Taking a look back first, we see that there was hardly any revenue growth to speak of for the company over the past year. Whilst it's an improvement, it wasn't enough to get the company out of the hole it was in, with revenue down 8.4% overall from three years ago. Therefore, it's fair to say the revenue growth recently has been undesirable for the company.

Comparing that to the industry, which is predicted to deliver 13% growth in the next 12 months, the company's downward momentum based on recent medium-term revenue results is a sobering picture.

With this in mind, we find it worrying that Fujian Dongbai (Group)Ltd's P/S exceeds that of its industry peers. It seems most investors are ignoring the recent poor growth rate and are hoping for a turnaround in the company's business prospects. Only the boldest would assume these prices are sustainable as a continuation of recent revenue trends is likely to weigh on the share price eventually.

What We Can Learn From Fujian Dongbai (Group)Ltd's P/S?

Fujian Dongbai (Group)Ltd's stock has a lot of momentum behind it lately, which has brought its P/S level with the rest of the industry. 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 find it unexpected that Fujian Dongbai (Group)Ltd trades at a P/S ratio that is comparable to the rest of the industry, despite experiencing declining revenues during the medium-term, while the industry as a whole is expected to grow. Even though it matches the industry, we're uncomfortable with the current P/S ratio, as this dismal revenue performance is unlikely to support a more positive sentiment for long. 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 3 warning signs for Fujian Dongbai (Group)Ltd you should be aware of, and 2 of them are concerning.

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.