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There's Reason For Concern Over SigmaStar Technology Ltd.'s (SZSE:301536) Massive 80% Price Jump
SigmaStar Technology Ltd. (SZSE:301536) shares have continued their recent momentum with a 80% gain in the last month alone. 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.
Since its price has surged higher, SigmaStar Technology may be sending very bearish signals at the moment with a price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 13.8x, since almost half of all companies in the Semiconductor industry in China have P/S ratios under 7.1x and even P/S lower than 3x are not unusual. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the highly elevated P/S.
Check out our latest analysis for SigmaStar Technology
What Does SigmaStar Technology's Recent Performance Look Like?
SigmaStar Technology has been doing a good job lately as it's been growing revenue at a solid pace. One possibility is that the P/S ratio is high because investors think this respectable revenue growth will be enough to outperform the broader industry in the near future. However, if this isn't the case, investors might get caught out paying too much for the stock.
Although there are no analyst estimates available for SigmaStar Technology, 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 High P/S Ratio?
SigmaStar Technology's P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver very strong growth, and importantly, perform much better than the industry.
Taking a look back first, we see that the company managed to grow revenues by a handy 12% last year. Still, lamentably revenue has fallen 12% in aggregate from three years ago, which is disappointing. 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 49% over the next year, which really puts the company's recent medium-term revenue decline into perspective.
With this in mind, we find it worrying that SigmaStar Technology's P/S exceeds that of its industry peers. 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. Only the boldest would assume these prices are sustainable as a continuation of recent revenue trends is likely to weigh heavily on the share price eventually.
What We Can Learn From SigmaStar Technology's P/S?
SigmaStar Technology's P/S has grown nicely over the last month thanks to a handy boost in the share price. 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.
Our examination of SigmaStar Technology revealed its shrinking revenue over the medium-term isn't resulting in a P/S as low as we expected, given the industry is set to grow. 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.
It is also worth noting that we have found 4 warning signs for SigmaStar Technology (2 are concerning!) that you need to take into consideration.
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.
About SZSE:301536
SigmaStar Technology
Engages in the design, research and development, production, and sale of video surveillance chips in China.
Excellent balance sheet slight.