Some Confidence Is Lacking In CoAsia Corporation (KOSDAQ:045970) As Shares Slide 26%

CoAsia Corporation (KOSDAQ:045970) shares have retraced a considerable 26% in the last month, reversing a fair amount of their solid recent performance. Looking at the bigger picture, even after this poor month the stock is up 37% in the last year.

Even after such a large drop in price, you could still be forgiven for feeling indifferent about CoAsia's P/S ratio of 0.4x, since the median price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio for the Electronic industry in Korea is also close to 0.8x. Although, it's not wise to simply ignore the P/S without explanation as investors may be disregarding a distinct opportunity or a costly mistake.

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Check out our latest analysis for CoAsia

What Does CoAsia's Recent Performance Look Like?

We'd have to say that with no tangible growth over the last year, CoAsia's revenue has been unimpressive. One possibility is that the P/S is moderate because investors think this benign revenue growth rate might not be enough to outperform the broader industry in the near future. If not, then existing shareholders may be feeling hopeful about the future direction of the share price.

Although there are no analyst estimates available for CoAsia, 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 CoAsia's is when the company's growth is tracking the industry closely.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered virtually the same number to the company's top line as the year before. This isn't what shareholders were looking for as it means they've been left with a 17% decline in revenue over the last three years in total. So unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that the company has not done a great job of growing revenue over that time.

Comparing that to the industry, which is predicted to deliver 18% growth in the next 12 months, the company's downward momentum based on recent medium-term revenue results is a sobering picture.

With this information, we find it concerning that CoAsia is trading at a fairly similar P/S compared to the industry. 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 Final Word

CoAsia's plummeting stock price has brought its P/S back to a similar region as the rest of the industry. Typically, we'd caution against reading too much into price-to-sales ratios when settling on investment decisions, though it can reveal plenty about what other market participants think about the company.

The fact that CoAsia 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.

Don't forget that there may be other risks. For instance, we've identified 3 warning signs for CoAsia (1 makes us a bit uncomfortable) you should be aware of.

If companies with solid past earnings growth is up your alley, you may wish to see this free collection of other companies with strong earnings growth and low P/E ratios.

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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.