Optimistic Investors Push Raj Rayon Industries Limited (NSE:RAJRILTD) Shares Up 27% But Growth Is Lacking

Raj Rayon Industries Limited (NSE:RAJRILTD) shareholders are no doubt pleased to see that the share price has bounced 27% in the last month, although it is still struggling to make up recently lost ground. But the last month did very little to improve the 67% share price decline over the last year.

After such a large jump in price, you could be forgiven for thinking Raj Rayon Industries is a stock not worth researching with a price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") of 2.5x, considering almost half the companies in India's Luxury industry have P/S ratios below 0.9x. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the elevated P/S.

See our latest analysis for Raj Rayon Industries

How Has Raj Rayon Industries Performed Recently?

Raj Rayon Industries certainly has been doing a great job lately as it's been growing its revenue at a really rapid pace. It seems that many are expecting the strong revenue performance to beat most other companies over the coming period, which has increased investors’ willingness to pay up for the stock. If not, then existing shareholders might be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.

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

Is There Enough Revenue Growth Forecasted For Raj Rayon Industries?

The only time you'd be truly comfortable seeing a P/S as high as Raj Rayon Industries' is when the company's growth is on track to outshine the industry.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company's revenues underwent some rampant growth over the last 12 months. Although, its longer-term performance hasn't been anywhere near as strong with three-year revenue growth being relatively non-existent overall. Therefore, it's fair to say that revenue growth has been inconsistent recently for the company.

This is in contrast to the rest of the industry, which is expected to grow by 13% over the next year, materially higher than the company's recent medium-term annualised growth rates.

With this in mind, we find it worrying that Raj Rayon Industries' P/S exceeds that of its industry peers. It seems most investors are ignoring the fairly limited recent growth rates 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 recent growth rates.

What We Can Learn From Raj Rayon Industries' P/S?

Raj Rayon Industries shares have taken a big step in a northerly direction, but its P/S is elevated as a result. 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.

Our examination of Raj Rayon Industries revealed its poor three-year revenue trends aren't detracting from the P/S as much as we though, given they look worse than current industry expectations. When we see slower than industry revenue growth but an elevated P/S, there's considerable risk of the share price declining, sending the P/S lower. If recent medium-term revenue trends continue, it will place shareholders' investments at significant risk and potential investors in danger of paying an excessive premium.

There are also other vital risk factors to consider before investing and we've discovered 1 warning sign for Raj Rayon Industries that you should be aware of.

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.