The Market Doesn't Like What It Sees From Nanya New Material Technology Co.,Ltd's (SHSE:688519) Revenues Yet

Nanya New Material Technology Co.,Ltd's (SHSE:688519) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 1.6x might make it look like a strong buy right now compared to the Electronic industry in China, where around half of the companies have P/S ratios above 4.4x and even P/S above 9x 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 so limited.

View our latest analysis for Nanya New Material TechnologyLtd

What Does Nanya New Material TechnologyLtd's P/S Mean For Shareholders?

As an illustration, revenue has deteriorated at Nanya New Material TechnologyLtd over the last year, which is not ideal at all. Perhaps the market believes the recent revenue performance isn't good enough to keep up the industry, causing the P/S ratio to suffer. However, if this doesn't eventuate then existing shareholders may be feeling optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

Want the full picture on earnings, revenue and cash flow for the company? Then our free report on Nanya New Material TechnologyLtd will help you shine a light on its historical performance.

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

Nanya New Material TechnologyLtd's P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver very poor growth or even falling revenue, and importantly, perform much 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 5.6%. As a result, revenue from three years ago have also fallen 18% overall. Accordingly, shareholders would have felt downbeat about the medium-term rates of revenue growth.

Comparing that to the industry, which is predicted to deliver 26% 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 understand why Nanya New Material TechnologyLtd'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 Final Word

Using the price-to-sales ratio alone to determine if you should sell your stock isn't sensible, however it can be a practical guide to the company's future prospects.

As we suspected, our examination of Nanya New Material 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. 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.

We don't want to rain on the parade too much, but we did also find 3 warning signs for Nanya New Material TechnologyLtd (1 is a bit concerning!) that you need to be mindful 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.