Optimistic Investors Push Hang Pin Living Technology Company Limited (HKG:1682) Shares Up 36% But Growth Is Lacking

Hang Pin Living Technology Company Limited (HKG:1682) shares have had a really impressive month, gaining 36% after a shaky period beforehand. Not all shareholders will be feeling jubilant, since the share price is still down a very disappointing 18% in the last twelve months.

Even after such a large jump in price, you could still be forgiven for feeling indifferent about Hang Pin Living Technology's P/S ratio of 0.5x, since the median price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio for the Luxury industry in Hong Kong is also close to 0.7x. However, investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/S.

Check out our latest analysis for Hang Pin Living Technology

How Has Hang Pin Living Technology Performed Recently?

Revenue has risen at a steady rate over the last year for Hang Pin Living Technology, which is generally not a bad outcome. It might be that many expect the respectable revenue performance to only match most other companies over the coming period, which has kept the P/S from rising. If you like the company, you'd be hoping this isn't the case so that you could potentially pick up some stock while it's not quite in favour.

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 Hang Pin Living Technology's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

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

There's an inherent assumption that a company should be matching the industry for P/S ratios like Hang Pin Living Technology's to be considered reasonable.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company managed to grow revenues by a handy 3.8% last year. However, due to its less than impressive performance prior to this period, revenue growth is practically non-existent over the last three years overall. Therefore, it's fair to say that revenue growth has been inconsistent recently for the company.

Weighing that medium-term revenue trajectory against the broader industry's one-year forecast for expansion of 13% shows it's an unpleasant look.

With this in mind, we find it worrying that Hang Pin Living Technology's P/S exceeds that of its industry peers. 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 on the share price eventually.

What Does Hang Pin Living Technology's P/S Mean For Investors?

Its shares have lifted substantially and now Hang Pin Living Technology's P/S is back within range of the industry median. Generally, our preference is to limit the use of the price-to-sales ratio to establishing what the market thinks about the overall health of a company.

We find it unexpected that Hang Pin Living Technology trades at a P/S ratio that is comparable to the rest of the industry, despite experiencing declining revenues during the medium-term, while the industry as a whole is expected to grow. Even though it matches the industry, we're uncomfortable with the current P/S ratio, as this dismal revenue performance is unlikely to support a more 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.

And what about other risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for Hang Pin Living Technology (of which 2 don't sit too well with us!) you should know about.

If you're unsure about the strength of Hang Pin Living 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.