Hong Kong Resources Holdings Company Limited's (HKG:2882) 32% Share Price Plunge Could Signal Some Risk

Hong Kong Resources Holdings Company Limited (HKG:2882) shares have retraced a considerable 32% in the last month, reversing a fair amount of their solid recent performance. Looking at the bigger picture, even after this poor month the stock is up 75% in the last year.

In spite of the heavy fall in price, you could still be forgiven for feeling indifferent about Hong Kong Resources Holdings' P/S ratio of 0.3x, since the median price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio for the Specialty Retail industry in Hong Kong is also close to 0.4x. While this might not raise any eyebrows, if the P/S ratio is not justified investors could be missing out on a potential opportunity or ignoring looming disappointment.

View our latest analysis for Hong Kong Resources Holdings

What Does Hong Kong Resources Holdings' P/S Mean For Shareholders?

It looks like revenue growth has deserted Hong Kong Resources Holdings recently, which is not something to boast about. One possibility is that the P/S is moderate because investors think this benign revenue growth rate might not be enough to outperform 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.

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

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

The only time you'd be comfortable seeing a P/S like Hong Kong Resources Holdings' is when the company's growth is tracking the industry closely.

Taking a look back first, we see that there was hardly any revenue growth to speak of for the company over the past year. Still, the latest three year period was better as it's delivered a decent 13% overall rise in revenue. Accordingly, shareholders probably wouldn't have been overly satisfied with the unstable medium-term growth rates.

Comparing that to the industry, which is predicted to deliver 15% growth in the next 12 months, the company's momentum is weaker, based on recent medium-term annualised revenue results.

In light of this, it's curious that Hong Kong Resources Holdings' P/S sits in line with the majority of other companies. Apparently many investors in the company are less bearish than recent times would indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock right now. They may be setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/S falls to levels more in line with recent growth rates.

The Key Takeaway

With its share price dropping off a cliff, the P/S for Hong Kong Resources Holdings looks to be in line with the rest of the Specialty Retail industry. Typically, we'd caution against reading too much into price-to-sales ratios when settling on investment decisions, though it can reveal plenty about what other market participants think about the company.

We've established that Hong Kong Resources 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 there is a significant improvement in the company's medium-term performance, it will be difficult to prevent the P/S ratio from declining to a more reasonable level.

Before you take the next step, you should know about the 4 warning signs for Hong Kong Resources Holdings (2 don't sit too well with us!) that we have uncovered.

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).

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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.