There's Reason For Concern Over Kunming Dianchi Water Treatment Co., Ltd.'s (HKG:3768) Price

With a median price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of close to 0.5x in the Water Utilities industry in Hong Kong, you could be forgiven for feeling indifferent about Kunming Dianchi Water Treatment Co., Ltd.'s (HKG:3768) P/S ratio of 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 Kunming Dianchi Water Treatment

How Kunming Dianchi Water Treatment Has Been Performing

As an illustration, revenue has deteriorated at Kunming Dianchi Water Treatment over the last year, which is not ideal at all. One possibility is that the P/S is moderate because investors think the company might still do enough to be in line with the broader industry in the near future. If you like the company, you'd at least be hoping this is 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 Kunming Dianchi Water Treatment, take a look at this free data-rich visualisation to see how the company stacks up on earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The P/S Ratio?

The only time you'd be comfortable seeing a P/S like Kunming Dianchi Water Treatment's is when the company's growth is tracking the industry closely.

In reviewing the last year of financials, we were disheartened to see the company's revenues fell to the tune of 13%. As a result, revenue from three years ago have also fallen 5.8% 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 20% shows it's an unpleasant look.

With this in mind, we find it worrying that Kunming Dianchi Water Treatment'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 Key Takeaway

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.

The fact that Kunming Dianchi Water Treatment 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. Unless the the circumstances surrounding the recent medium-term improve, it wouldn't be wrong to expect a a difficult period ahead for the company's shareholders.

We don't want to rain on the parade too much, but we did also find 3 warning signs for Kunming Dianchi Water Treatment (2 don't sit too well with us!) that you need to be mindful of.

If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on Kunming Dianchi Water Treatment, explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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.