Truly International Holdings Limited (HKG:732) Stock Rockets 29% As Investors Are Less Pessimistic Than Expected

Truly International Holdings Limited (HKG:732) shares have had a really impressive month, gaining 29% after a shaky period beforehand. Looking back a bit further, it's encouraging to see the stock is up 68% in the last year.

Although its price has surged higher, there still wouldn't be many who think Truly International Holdings' price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.2x is worth a mention when the median P/S in Hong Kong's Electronic industry is similar at about 0.4x. 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.

Check out our latest analysis for Truly International Holdings

What Does Truly International Holdings' P/S Mean For Shareholders?

Revenue has risen at a steady rate over the last year for Truly International Holdings, which is generally not a bad outcome. Perhaps the expectation moving forward is that the revenue growth will track in line with the wider industry for the near term, which has kept the P/S subdued. 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.

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

What Are Revenue Growth Metrics Telling Us About The P/S?

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

Taking a look back first, we see that the company managed to grow revenues by a handy 7.4% last year. However, this wasn't enough as the latest three year period has seen an unpleasant 26% overall drop in revenue. Accordingly, shareholders would have felt downbeat about the medium-term rates of revenue growth.

Weighing that medium-term revenue trajectory against the broader industry's one-year forecast for expansion of 22% shows it's an unpleasant look.

With this information, we find it concerning that Truly International Holdings 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. There's a good chance existing shareholders are setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/S falls to levels more in line with the recent negative growth rates.

The Bottom Line On Truly International Holdings' P/S

Its shares have lifted substantially and now Truly International Holdings' P/S is back within range of the industry median. Using the price-to-sales ratio alone to determine if you should sell your stock isn't sensible, however it can be a practical guide to the company's future prospects.

The fact that Truly International 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. 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.

There are also other vital risk factors to consider and we've discovered 4 warning signs for Truly International Holdings (2 make us uncomfortable!) that you should be aware of before investing here.

If strong companies turning a profit tickle your fancy, then you'll want to check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a low P/E (but have proven they can grow earnings).

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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.