Tfe Inc.'s (KOSDAQ:425420) Share Price Not Quite Adding Up

When close to half the companies in the Semiconductor industry in Korea have price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") below 1.3x, you may consider Tfe Inc. (KOSDAQ:425420) as a stock to potentially avoid with its 2.6x P/S ratio. However, the P/S might be high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

See our latest analysis for Tfe

What Does Tfe's Recent Performance Look Like?

For example, consider that Tfe's financial performance has been poor lately as its revenue has been in decline. It might be that many expect the company to still outplay most other companies over the coming period, which has kept the P/S from collapsing. If not, then existing shareholders may be quite 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 Tfe will help you shine a light on its historical performance.

Is There Enough Revenue Growth Forecasted For Tfe?

In order to justify its P/S ratio, Tfe would need to produce impressive growth in excess of the industry.

In reviewing the last year of financials, we were disheartened to see the company's revenues fell to the tune of 8.3%. This has erased any of its gains during the last three years, with practically no change in revenue being achieved in total. Therefore, it's fair to say that revenue growth has been inconsistent recently for the company.

Comparing that to the industry, which is predicted to deliver 30% growth in the next 12 months, the company's momentum is weaker, based on recent medium-term annualised revenue results.

In light of this, it's alarming that Tfe's P/S sits above the majority of other companies. Apparently many investors in the company are way more bullish than recent times would indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock at any price. Only the boldest would assume these prices are sustainable as a continuation of recent revenue trends is likely to weigh heavily on the share price eventually.

The Final Word

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.

Our examination of Tfe 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. 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.

We don't want to rain on the parade too much, but we did also find 3 warning signs for Tfe (1 is a bit concerning!) that you need to be mindful 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.