There's Reason For Concern Over Yangtzekiang Garment Limited's (HKG:294) Massive 25% Price Jump

The Yangtzekiang Garment Limited (HKG:294) share price has done very well over the last month, posting an excellent gain of 25%. Notwithstanding the latest gain, the annual share price return of 5.9% isn't as impressive.

Even after such a large jump in price, there still wouldn't be many who think Yangtzekiang Garment's price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 1.1x is worth a mention when the median P/S in Hong Kong's Luxury industry is similar at about 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 Yangtzekiang Garment

How Yangtzekiang Garment Has Been Performing

For example, consider that Yangtzekiang Garment's financial performance has been poor lately as its revenue has been in decline. It might be that many expect the company to put the disappointing revenue performance behind them over the coming period, which has kept the P/S from falling. If you like the company, you'd at least be hoping this is the case so that you could potentially pick up some stock while it's not quite in favour.

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

How Is Yangtzekiang Garment's Revenue Growth Trending?

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

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 38% decrease to the company's top line. This means it has also seen a slide in revenue over the longer-term as revenue is down 55% 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 13% over the next year, which really puts the company's recent medium-term revenue decline into perspective.

With this in mind, we find it worrying that Yangtzekiang Garment'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. There's a good chance existing shareholders are setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/S falls to levels more in line with the recent negative growth rates.

The Key Takeaway

Yangtzekiang Garment appears to be back in favour with a solid price jump bringing its P/S back in line with other companies in the industry We'd say the price-to-sales ratio's power isn't primarily as a valuation instrument but rather to gauge current investor sentiment and future expectations.

The fact that Yangtzekiang Garment currently trades at a P/S on par with the rest of the industry is surprising to us since its recent revenues have been in decline over the medium-term, all while the industry is set to grow. When we see revenue heading backwards in the context of growing industry forecasts, it'd make sense to expect a possible share price decline on the horizon, sending the moderate P/S lower. 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.

Plus, you should also learn about these 2 warning signs we've spotted with Yangtzekiang Garment (including 1 which can't be ignored).

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.