Yuyu Pharma, Inc.'s (KRX:000220) 25% Share Price Surge Not Quite Adding Up

Yuyu Pharma, Inc. (KRX:000220) shareholders would be excited to see that the share price has had a great month, posting a 25% gain and recovering from prior weakness. Not all shareholders will be feeling jubilant, since the share price is still down a very disappointing 13% in the last twelve months.

In spite of the firm bounce in price, it's still not a stretch to say that Yuyu Pharma's price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.6x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" compared to the Pharmaceuticals industry in Korea, where the median P/S ratio is around 0.8x. 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 Yuyu Pharma

What Does Yuyu Pharma's Recent Performance Look Like?

For instance, Yuyu Pharma's receding revenue in recent times would have to be some food for thought. 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.

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 Yuyu Pharma's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

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

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

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 1.9% decrease to the company's top line. Regardless, revenue has managed to lift by a handy 23% in aggregate from three years ago, thanks to the earlier period of growth. Although it's been a bumpy ride, it's still fair to say the revenue growth recently has been mostly respectable for the company.

Comparing that to the industry, which is predicted to deliver 17% growth in the next 12 months, the company's momentum is weaker, based on recent medium-term annualised revenue results.

With this in mind, we find it intriguing that Yuyu Pharma's P/S is comparable to that of its industry peers. It seems most investors are ignoring the fairly limited recent growth rates and are willing to pay up for exposure to the stock. Maintaining these prices will be difficult to achieve as a continuation of recent revenue trends is likely to weigh down the shares eventually.

The Bottom Line On Yuyu Pharma's P/S

Its shares have lifted substantially and now Yuyu Pharma's P/S is back within range of the industry median. While the price-to-sales ratio shouldn't be the defining factor in whether you buy a stock or not, it's quite a capable barometer of revenue expectations.

We've established that Yuyu Pharma'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. If recent medium-term revenue trends continue, the probability of a share price decline will become quite substantial, placing shareholders at risk.

There are also other vital risk factors to consider before investing and we've discovered 2 warning signs for Yuyu Pharma that you should be aware of.

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

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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.