Investors Holding Back On XJ International Holdings Co., Ltd. (HKG:1765)

When close to half the companies operating in the Consumer Services industry in Hong Kong have price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") above 1x, you may consider XJ International Holdings Co., Ltd. (HKG:1765) as an attractive investment with its 0.3x P/S ratio. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the reduced P/S.

View our latest analysis for XJ International Holdings

How XJ International Holdings Has Been Performing

Revenue has risen at a steady rate over the last year for XJ International Holdings, which is generally not a bad outcome. Perhaps the market believes the recent revenue performance might fall short of industry figures in the near future, leading to a reduced P/S. Those who are bullish on XJ International Holdings will be hoping that this isn't the case, so that they can pick up the stock at a lower valuation.

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 XJ International Holdings' earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Is There Any Revenue Growth Forecasted For XJ International Holdings?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/S as low as XJ International Holdings' is when the company's growth is on track to lag the industry.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company managed to grow revenues by a handy 6.9% last year. Pleasingly, revenue has also lifted 128% in aggregate from three years ago, partly thanks to the last 12 months of growth. Therefore, it's fair to say the revenue growth recently has been superb for the company.

Comparing that recent medium-term revenue trajectory with the industry's one-year growth forecast of 19% shows it's noticeably more attractive.

In light of this, it's peculiar that XJ International Holdings' P/S sits below the majority of other companies. Apparently some shareholders believe the recent performance has exceeded its limits and have been accepting significantly lower selling prices.

What Does XJ International Holdings' P/S Mean For Investors?

While the price-to-sales ratio shouldn't be the defining factor in whether you buy a stock or not, it's quite a capable barometer of revenue expectations.

Our examination of XJ International Holdings revealed its three-year revenue trends aren't boosting its P/S anywhere near as much as we would have predicted, given they look better than current industry expectations. When we see robust revenue growth that outpaces the industry, we presume that there are notable underlying risks to the company's future performance, which is exerting downward pressure on the P/S ratio. At least price risks look to be very low if recent medium-term revenue trends continue, but investors seem to think future revenue could see a lot of volatility.

It's always necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 4 warning signs with XJ International Holdings (at least 2 which shouldn't be ignored), and understanding these should be part of your investment process.

Of course, profitable companies with a history of great earnings growth are generally safer bets. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have reasonable P/E ratios and have grown earnings strongly.

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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.