More Unpleasant Surprises Could Be In Store For Apex Ace Holding Limited's (HKG:6036) Shares After Tumbling 26%

Apex Ace Holding Limited (HKG:6036) shares have had a horrible month, losing 26% after a relatively good period beforehand. Still, a bad month hasn't completely ruined the past year with the stock gaining 32%, which is great even in a bull market.

In spite of the heavy fall in price, it's still not a stretch to say that Apex Ace Holding'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. While this might not raise any eyebrows, if the P/S ratio is not justified investors could be missing out on a potential opportunity or ignoring looming disappointment.

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View our latest analysis for Apex Ace Holding

How Apex Ace Holding Has Been Performing

Apex Ace Holding certainly has been doing a great job lately as it's been growing its revenue at a really rapid pace. The P/S is probably moderate because investors think this strong revenue growth might not be enough to outperform the broader industry in the near future. Those who are bullish on Apex Ace Holding will be hoping that this isn't the case, so that they can pick up the stock at a lower valuation.

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

Is There Some Revenue Growth Forecasted For Apex Ace Holding?

In order to justify its P/S ratio, Apex Ace Holding would need to produce growth that's similar to the industry.

If we review the last year of revenue growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 61%. Revenue has also lifted 30% in aggregate from three years ago, mostly thanks to the last 12 months of growth. Accordingly, shareholders would have probably been satisfied with the medium-term rates of revenue growth.

This is in contrast to the rest of the industry, which is expected to grow by 18% over the next year, materially higher than the company's recent medium-term annualised growth rates.

With this information, we find it interesting that Apex Ace Holding is trading at a fairly similar P/S compared to the industry. Apparently many investors in the company are less bearish than recent times would indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock right now. They may be setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/S falls to levels more in line with recent growth rates.

What We Can Learn From Apex Ace Holding's P/S?

With its share price dropping off a cliff, the P/S for Apex Ace Holding looks to be in line with the rest of the Electronic industry. Generally, our preference is to limit the use of the price-to-sales ratio to establishing what the market thinks about the overall health of a company.

We've established that Apex Ace Holding's average P/S is a bit surprising since its recent three-year growth is lower than the wider industry forecast. Right now we are uncomfortable with the P/S as this revenue performance isn't likely to support a more positive sentiment for long. Unless there is a significant improvement in the company's medium-term performance, it will be difficult to prevent the P/S ratio from declining to a more reasonable level.

Before you take the next step, you should know about the 2 warning signs for Apex Ace Holding (1 can't be ignored!) that we have uncovered.

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.