More Unpleasant Surprises Could Be In Store For Tianli Holdings Group Limited's (HKG:117) Shares After Tumbling 27%

Tianli Holdings Group Limited (HKG:117) shareholders won't be pleased to see that the share price has had a very rough month, dropping 27% and undoing the prior period's positive performance. The drop over the last 30 days has capped off a tough year for shareholders, with the share price down 33% in that time.

In spite of the heavy fall in price, there still wouldn't be many who think Tianli Holdings Group's price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.3x is worth a mention when it essentially matches the median P/S in Hong Kong's Electronic industry. However, investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/S.

See our latest analysis for Tianli Holdings Group

What Does Tianli Holdings Group's P/S Mean For Shareholders?

Recent times have been quite advantageous for Tianli Holdings Group as its revenue has been rising very briskly. It might be that many expect the strong revenue performance to wane, which has kept the share price, and thus the P/S ratio, from rising. 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.

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 Tianli Holdings Group's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Is There Some Revenue Growth Forecasted For Tianli Holdings Group?

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

If we review the last year of revenue growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 30%. Despite this strong recent growth, it's still struggling to catch up as its three-year revenue frustratingly shrank by 19% overall. Therefore, it's fair to say the revenue growth recently has been undesirable for the company.

Weighing that medium-term revenue trajectory against the broader industry's one-year forecast for expansion of 23% shows it's an unpleasant look.

With this information, we find it concerning that Tianli Holdings Group is trading at a fairly similar P/S compared to 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 on the share price eventually.

The Key Takeaway

Following Tianli Holdings Group's share price tumble, its P/S is just clinging on to the industry median P/S. 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 find it unexpected that Tianli Holdings Group trades at a P/S ratio that is comparable to the rest of the industry, despite experiencing declining revenues during the medium-term, while the industry as a whole is expected 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 recent medium-term conditions improve markedly, investors will have a hard time accepting the share price as fair value.

Don't forget that there may be other risks. For instance, we've identified 4 warning signs for Tianli Holdings Group (2 are potentially serious) you should be aware of.

If you're unsure about the strength of Tianli Holdings Group's business, why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals for some other companies you may have missed.

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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.