Optimistic Investors Push Grown Up Group Investment Holdings Limited (HKG:1842) Shares Up 26% But Growth Is Lacking

The Grown Up Group Investment Holdings Limited (HKG:1842) share price has done very well over the last month, posting an excellent gain of 26%. Looking further back, the 14% rise over the last twelve months isn't too bad notwithstanding the strength over the last 30 days.

Even after such a large jump in price, there still wouldn't be many who think Grown Up Group Investment Holdings' price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.3x is worth a mention when the median P/S in Hong Kong's Luxury industry is similar at about 0.6x. Although, it's not wise to simply ignore the P/S without explanation as investors may be disregarding a distinct opportunity or a costly mistake.

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Check out our latest analysis for Grown Up Group Investment Holdings

What Does Grown Up Group Investment Holdings' Recent Performance Look Like?

Grown Up Group Investment Holdings has been doing a decent job lately as it's been growing revenue at a reasonable pace. One possibility is that the P/S is moderate because investors think this good revenue growth might only be parallel to the broader industry in the near future. 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 Grown Up Group Investment Holdings' earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The P/S Ratio?

Grown Up Group Investment Holdings' P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's only expected to deliver moderate growth, and importantly, perform in line with the industry.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company managed to grow revenues by a handy 5.4% last year. Still, revenue has barely risen at all in aggregate from three years ago, which is not ideal. So it appears to us that the company has had a mixed result in terms of growing revenue over that time.

This is in contrast to the rest of the industry, which is expected to grow by 36% over the next year, materially higher than the company's recent medium-term annualised growth rates.

In light of this, it's curious that Grown Up Group Investment Holdings' P/S sits in line with the majority of other companies. It seems most investors are ignoring the fairly limited recent growth rates and are willing to pay up for exposure to the stock. Maintaining these prices will be difficult to achieve as a continuation of recent revenue trends is likely to weigh down the shares eventually.

What Does Grown Up Group Investment Holdings' P/S Mean For Investors?

Its shares have lifted substantially and now Grown Up Group Investment Holdings' P/S is back within range of the industry median. 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.

We've established that Grown Up Group Investment Holdings' average P/S is a bit surprising since its recent three-year growth is lower than the wider industry forecast. When we see weak revenue with slower than industry growth, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, bringing the P/S back in line with expectations. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve, it's hard to accept the current share price as fair value.

You always need to take note of risks, for example - Grown Up Group Investment Holdings has 2 warning signs we think you should be aware 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.