Comba Telecom Systems Holdings Limited's (HKG:2342) Shares Climb 61% But Its Business Is Yet to Catch Up

Despite an already strong run, Comba Telecom Systems Holdings Limited (HKG:2342) shares have been powering on, with a gain of 61% in the last thirty days. The last month tops off a massive increase of 207% in the last year.

In spite of the firm bounce in price, there still wouldn't be many who think Comba Telecom Systems Holdings' price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.9x is worth a mention when the median P/S in Hong Kong's Communications industry is similar at about 0.6x. Although, it's not wise to simply ignore the P/S without explanation as investors may be disregarding a distinct opportunity or a costly mistake.

View our latest analysis for Comba Telecom Systems Holdings

How Comba Telecom Systems Holdings Has Been Performing

For example, consider that Comba Telecom Systems Holdings' financial performance has been poor lately as its revenue has been in decline. 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.

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 Comba Telecom Systems Holdings' earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The P/S Ratio?

In order to justify its P/S ratio, Comba Telecom Systems Holdings would need to produce growth that's similar to the industry.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 22% decrease to the company's top line. This means it has also seen a slide in revenue over the longer-term as revenue is down 2.7% 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.

Comparing that to the industry, which is predicted to deliver 30% growth in the next 12 months, the company's downward momentum based on recent medium-term revenue results is a sobering picture.

With this in mind, we find it worrying that Comba Telecom Systems Holdings' P/S exceeds that of its industry peers. 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 Final Word

Comba Telecom Systems Holdings appears to be back in favour with a solid price jump bringing its P/S back in line with other companies in the industry 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.

The fact that Comba Telecom Systems Holdings 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. 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. If recent medium-term revenue trends continue, it will place shareholders' investments at risk and potential investors in danger of paying an unnecessary premium.

You should always think about risks. Case in point, we've spotted 2 warning signs for Comba Telecom Systems Holdings you should be aware of, and 1 of them is potentially serious.

Of course, profitable companies with a history of great earnings growth are generally safer bets. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have reasonable P/E ratios and have grown earnings strongly.

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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.