Datang Telecom Technology Co., Ltd.'s (SHSE:600198) 25% Share Price Surge Not Quite Adding Up

Datang Telecom Technology Co., Ltd. (SHSE:600198) shares have had a really impressive month, gaining 25% after a shaky period beforehand. But the gains over the last month weren't enough to make shareholders whole, as the share price is still down 7.1% in the last twelve months.

Following the firm bounce in price, Datang Telecom Technology's price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 9.3x might make it look like a strong sell right now compared to other companies in the Communications industry in China, where around half of the companies have P/S ratios below 4.5x and even P/S below 2x are quite common. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the highly elevated P/S.

See our latest analysis for Datang Telecom Technology

What Does Datang Telecom Technology's Recent Performance Look Like?

For instance, Datang Telecom Technology's receding revenue in recent times would have to be some food for thought. It might be that many expect the company to still outplay most other companies over the coming period, which has kept the P/S from collapsing. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.

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 Datang Telecom Technology's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

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

There's an inherent assumption that a company should far outperform the industry for P/S ratios like Datang Telecom Technology's to be considered reasonable.

In reviewing the last year of financials, we were disheartened to see the company's revenues fell to the tune of 13%. The last three years don't look nice either as the company has shrunk revenue by 23% in aggregate. Accordingly, shareholders would have felt downbeat about the medium-term rates of revenue growth.

Weighing that medium-term revenue trajectory against the broader industry's one-year forecast for expansion of 49% shows it's an unpleasant look.

In light of this, it's alarming that Datang Telecom Technology's P/S sits above the majority of other companies. 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 heavily on the share price eventually.

The Final Word

The strong share price surge has lead to Datang Telecom Technology's P/S soaring as well. Typically, we'd caution against reading too much into price-to-sales ratios when settling on investment decisions, though it can reveal plenty about what other market participants think about the company.

Our examination of Datang Telecom 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. Right now we aren't comfortable with the high P/S as this revenue performance is highly unlikely to support such 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.

A lot of potential risks can sit within a company's balance sheet. Take a look at our free balance sheet analysis for Datang Telecom Technology with six simple checks on some of these key factors.

If you're unsure about the strength of Datang Telecom Technology's business, why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals for some other companies you may have missed.

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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.