Subdued Growth No Barrier To Newlink Technology Inc. (HKG:9600) With Shares Advancing 27%

Despite an already strong run, Newlink Technology Inc. (HKG:9600) shares have been powering on, with a gain of 27% in the last thirty days. The last 30 days bring the annual gain to a very sharp 57%.

After such a large jump in price, given around half the companies in Hong Kong's IT industry have price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") below 1.2x, you may consider Newlink Technology as a stock to avoid entirely with its 8.8x P/S ratio. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the highly elevated P/S.

View our latest analysis for Newlink Technology

What Does Newlink Technology's P/S Mean For Shareholders?

For instance, Newlink Technology's receding revenue in recent times would have to be some food for thought. It might be that many expect the company to still outplay most other companies over the coming period, which has kept the P/S from collapsing. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.

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 Newlink Technology's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Is There Enough Revenue Growth Forecasted For Newlink Technology?

In order to justify its P/S ratio, Newlink Technology would need to produce outstanding growth that's well in excess of 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 5.8%. Even so, admirably revenue has lifted 39% in aggregate from three years ago, notwithstanding the last 12 months. Accordingly, while they would have preferred to keep the run going, shareholders would definitely welcome the medium-term rates of revenue growth.

It's interesting to note that the rest of the industry is similarly expected to grow by 14% over the next year, which is fairly even with the company's recent medium-term annualised growth rates.

With this information, we find it interesting that Newlink Technology is trading at a high P/S compared to the industry. It seems most investors are ignoring the fairly average recent growth rates and are willing to pay up for exposure to the stock. Although, additional gains will be difficult to achieve as a continuation of recent revenue trends would weigh down the share price eventually.

What Does Newlink Technology's P/S Mean For Investors?

The strong share price surge has lead to Newlink Technology's P/S soaring as well. It's argued the price-to-sales ratio is an inferior measure of value within certain industries, but it can be a powerful business sentiment indicator.

Our look into Newlink Technology has shown that it currently trades on a higher than expected P/S since its recent three-year growth is only in line with the wider industry forecast. Right now we are uncomfortable with the high P/S as this revenue performance isn't likely to support such positive sentiment for long. Unless there is a significant improvement in the company's medium-term trends, it will be difficult to prevent the P/S ratio from declining to a more reasonable level.

It's always necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 3 warning signs with Newlink Technology (at least 2 which are significant), and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on Newlink Technology, explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there.

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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.

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