Zhejiang Heda Technology Co., Ltd.'s (SHSE:688296) Share Price Boosted 31% But Its Business Prospects Need A Lift Too

Those holding Zhejiang Heda Technology Co., Ltd. (SHSE:688296) shares would be relieved that the share price has rebounded 31% in the last thirty days, but it needs to keep going to repair the recent damage it has caused to investor portfolios. Still, the 30-day jump doesn't change the fact that longer term shareholders have seen their stock decimated by the 64% share price drop in the last twelve months.

Although its price has surged higher, Zhejiang Heda Technology may still be sending bullish signals at the moment with its price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 3.3x, since almost half of all companies in the Software industry in China have P/S ratios greater than 5.1x and even P/S higher than 9x are not unusual. However, the P/S might be low for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

Check out our latest analysis for Zhejiang Heda Technology

How Zhejiang Heda Technology Has Been Performing

For example, consider that Zhejiang Heda Technology'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.

Although there are no analyst estimates available for Zhejiang Heda Technology, take a look at this free data-rich visualisation to see how the company stacks up on earnings, revenue and cash flow.

What Are Revenue Growth Metrics Telling Us About The Low P/S?

In order to justify its P/S ratio, Zhejiang Heda Technology would need to produce sluggish growth that's trailing the industry.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 27% decrease to the company's top line. As a result, revenue from three years ago have also fallen 5.6% overall. Therefore, it's fair to say the revenue growth recently has been undesirable for the company.

Weighing that medium-term revenue trajectory against the broader industry's one-year forecast for expansion of 33% shows it's an unpleasant look.

With this in mind, we understand why Zhejiang Heda Technology's P/S is lower than most of its industry peers. 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.

The Bottom Line On Zhejiang Heda Technology's P/S

Despite Zhejiang Heda Technology's share price climbing recently, its P/S still lags most other companies. 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.

Our examination of Zhejiang Heda Technology confirms that the company's shrinking revenue over the past medium-term is a key factor in its low price-to-sales ratio, given the industry is projected to grow. Right now shareholders are accepting the low P/S as they concede future revenue probably won't provide any pleasant surprises either. If recent medium-term revenue trends continue, it's hard to see the share price moving strongly in either direction in the near future under these circumstances.

Before you settle on your opinion, we've discovered 3 warning signs for Zhejiang Heda Technology that 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).

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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.