Dongfeng Motor Group Company Limited's (HKG:489) Shares Climb 29% But Its Business Is Yet to Catch Up

Despite an already strong run, Dongfeng Motor Group Company Limited (HKG:489) shares have been powering on, with a gain of 29% in the last thirty days. Not all shareholders will be feeling jubilant, since the share price is still down a very disappointing 19% in the last twelve months.

In spite of the firm bounce in price, you could still be forgiven for feeling indifferent about Dongfeng Motor Group's P/S ratio of 0.2x, since the median price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio for the Auto industry in Hong Kong is also close to 0.6x. However, investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/S.

See our latest analysis for Dongfeng Motor Group

What Does Dongfeng Motor Group's P/S Mean For Shareholders?

Recent times haven't been great for Dongfeng Motor Group as its revenue has been rising slower than most other companies. Perhaps the market is expecting future revenue performance to lift, which has kept the P/S from declining. However, if this isn't the case, investors might get caught out paying too much for the stock.

Want the full picture on analyst estimates for the company? Then our free report on Dongfeng Motor Group will help you uncover what's on the horizon.

Is There Some Revenue Growth Forecasted For Dongfeng Motor Group?

The only time you'd be comfortable seeing a P/S like Dongfeng Motor Group's is when the company's growth is tracking the industry closely.

If we review the last year of revenue growth, the company posted a worthy increase of 12%. Ultimately though, it couldn't turn around the poor performance of the prior period, with revenue shrinking 18% in total over the last three years. Accordingly, shareholders would have felt downbeat about the medium-term rates of revenue growth.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the seven analysts covering the company suggest revenue should grow by 2.1% per annum over the next three years. That's shaping up to be materially lower than the 15% per year growth forecast for the broader industry.

With this in mind, we find it intriguing that Dongfeng Motor Group's P/S is closely matching its industry peers. Apparently many investors in the company are less bearish than analysts indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock right now. These shareholders may be setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/S falls to levels more in line with the growth outlook.

The Final Word

Dongfeng Motor Group appears to be back in favour with a solid price jump bringing its P/S back in line with other companies in the industry 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.

Given that Dongfeng Motor Group's revenue growth projections are relatively subdued in comparison to the wider industry, it comes as a surprise to see it trading at its current P/S ratio. At present, we aren't confident in the P/S as the predicted future revenues aren't likely to support a more positive sentiment for long. A positive change is needed in order to justify the current price-to-sales ratio.

And what about other risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Dongfeng Motor Group you should know about.

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.