HG Semiconductor Limited's (HKG:6908) Share Price Not Quite Adding Up

Explore HG Semiconductor's Fair Values from the Community and select yours

When close to half the companies in the Semiconductor industry in Hong Kong have price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") below 1.6x, you may consider HG Semiconductor Limited (HKG:6908) as a stock to avoid entirely with its 6.8x P/S ratio. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/S at face value as there may be an explanation why it's so lofty.

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Check out our latest analysis for HG Semiconductor

How HG Semiconductor Has Been Performing

For instance, HG Semiconductor's receding revenue in recent times would have to be some food for thought. Perhaps the market believes the company can do enough to outperform the rest of the industry in the near future, which is keeping the P/S ratio high. However, if this isn't the case, investors might get caught out paying too much for the stock.

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

How Is HG Semiconductor's Revenue Growth Trending?

HG Semiconductor's P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver very strong growth, and importantly, perform much better than the industry.

Taking a look back first, the company's revenue growth last year wasn't something to get excited about as it posted a disappointing decline of 15%. This means it has also seen a slide in revenue over the longer-term as revenue is down 40% in total over the last three years. Therefore, it's fair to say the revenue growth recently has been undesirable for the company.

In contrast to the company, the rest of the industry is expected to grow by 18% over the next year, which really puts the company's recent medium-term revenue decline into perspective.

With this information, we find it concerning that HG Semiconductor is trading at a P/S higher than the industry. 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 heavily on the share price eventually.

What We Can Learn From HG Semiconductor's P/S?

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 HG Semiconductor revealed its shrinking revenue over the medium-term isn't resulting in a P/S as low as we expected, given the industry is set to grow. When we see revenue heading backwards and underperforming the industry forecasts, we feel the possibility of the share price declining is very real, bringing the P/S back into the realm of reasonability. If recent medium-term revenue trends continue, it will place shareholders' investments at significant risk and potential investors in danger of paying an excessive premium.

Having said that, be aware HG Semiconductor is showing 3 warning signs in our investment analysis, and 1 of those is potentially serious.

If strong companies turning a profit tickle your fancy, then you'll want to check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a low P/E (but have proven they can grow earnings).

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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.