More Unpleasant Surprises Could Be In Store For Hubei DOTI Micro Technology Co., Ltd.'s (SZSE:301183) Shares After Tumbling 28%

Hubei DOTI Micro Technology Co., Ltd. (SZSE:301183) shares have retraced a considerable 28% in the last month, reversing a fair amount of their solid recent performance. Looking at the bigger picture, even after this poor month the stock is up 26% in the last year.

In spite of the heavy fall in price, when almost half of the companies in China's Electronic industry have price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") below 3.6x, you may still consider Hubei DOTI Micro Technology as a stock not worth researching with its 11.5x P/S ratio. However, the P/S might be quite high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

View our latest analysis for Hubei DOTI Micro Technology

How Has Hubei DOTI Micro Technology Performed Recently?

As an illustration, revenue has deteriorated at Hubei DOTI Micro Technology over the last year, which is not ideal at all. 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.

Want the full picture on earnings, revenue and cash flow for the company? Then our free report on Hubei DOTI Micro Technology will help you shine a light on its historical performance.

Is There Enough Revenue Growth Forecasted For Hubei DOTI Micro Technology?

Hubei DOTI Micro 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, the company's revenue growth last year wasn't something to get excited about as it posted a disappointing decline of 11%. This means it has also seen a slide in revenue over the longer-term as revenue is down 36% in total over the last three years. So unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that the company has not done a great job of growing revenue over that time.

In contrast to the company, the rest of the industry is expected to grow by 23% over the next year, which really puts the company's recent medium-term revenue decline into perspective.

In light of this, it's alarming that Hubei DOTI Micro Technology's P/S sits above the majority of other companies. 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 Hubei DOTI Micro Technology's P/S?

Even after such a strong price drop, Hubei DOTI Micro Technology's P/S still exceeds the industry median significantly. 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.

Our examination of Hubei DOTI Micro 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. Should recent medium-term revenue trends persist, it would pose a significant risk to existing shareholders' investments and prospective investors will have a hard time accepting the current value of the stock.

It is also worth noting that we have found 2 warning signs for Hubei DOTI Micro Technology that you need to take into consideration.

If companies with solid past earnings growth is up your alley, you may wish to see this free collection of other companies with strong earnings growth and low P/E ratios.

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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.