Optimistic Investors Push Mobicon Group Limited (HKG:1213) Shares Up 33% But Growth Is Lacking

Mobicon Group Limited (HKG:1213) shareholders would be excited to see that the share price has had a great month, posting a 33% gain and recovering from prior weakness. Not all shareholders will be feeling jubilant, since the share price is still down a very disappointing 42% in the last twelve months.

Even after such a large jump in price, it's still not a stretch to say that Mobicon Group's price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.2x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" compared to the Electronic industry in Hong Kong, where the median P/S ratio is around 0.3x. However, investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/S.

Check out our latest analysis for Mobicon Group

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

For instance, Mobicon Group's receding revenue in recent times would have to be some food for thought. Perhaps investors believe the recent revenue performance is enough to keep in line with the industry, which is keeping the P/S from dropping off. If not, then existing shareholders may be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.

Although there are no analyst estimates available for Mobicon Group, take a look at this free data-rich visualisation to see how the company stacks up on earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Is There Some Revenue Growth Forecasted For Mobicon Group?

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

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 20%. This means it has also seen a slide in revenue over the longer-term as revenue is down 39% in total over the last three years. So unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that the company has not done a great job of growing revenue over that time.

In contrast to the company, the rest of the industry is expected to grow by 23% over the next year, which really puts the company's recent medium-term revenue decline into perspective.

With this in mind, we find it worrying that Mobicon Group's P/S exceeds that of its industry peers. Apparently many investors in the company are way less bearish than recent times would indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock right now. 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 Bottom Line On Mobicon Group's P/S

Mobicon Group appears to be back in favour with a solid price jump bringing its P/S back in line with other companies in the industry We'd say the price-to-sales ratio's power isn't primarily as a valuation instrument but rather to gauge current investor sentiment and future expectations.

The fact that Mobicon Group currently trades at a P/S on par with the rest of the industry is surprising to us since its recent revenues have been in decline over the medium-term, all while the industry is set to grow. Even though it matches the industry, we're uncomfortable with the current P/S ratio, as this dismal revenue performance is unlikely to support a more positive sentiment for long. If recent medium-term revenue trends continue, it will place shareholders' investments at risk and potential investors in danger of paying an unnecessary premium.

Before you take the next step, you should know about the 3 warning signs for Mobicon Group (2 are a bit concerning!) that we have uncovered.

If you're unsure about the strength of Mobicon 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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