Wireless Power Amplifier Module Inc.'s (KOSDAQ:332570) 30% Share Price Surge Not Quite Adding Up

Wireless Power Amplifier Module Inc. (KOSDAQ:332570) shares have continued their recent momentum with a 30% gain in the last month alone. Looking back a bit further, it's encouraging to see the stock is up 36% in the last year.

Following the firm bounce in price, given close to half the companies operating in Korea's Electronic industry have price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") below 1x, you may consider Wireless Power Amplifier Module as a stock to potentially avoid with its 2.7x P/S ratio. However, the P/S might be high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

Check out our latest analysis for Wireless Power Amplifier Module

How Wireless Power Amplifier Module Has Been Performing

We'd have to say that with no tangible growth over the last year, Wireless Power Amplifier Module's revenue has been unimpressive. One possibility is that the P/S is high because investors think the benign revenue growth will improve to outperform the broader industry in the near future. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.

Although there are no analyst estimates available for Wireless Power Amplifier Module, 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 High P/S Ratio?

Wireless Power Amplifier Module's P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver solid growth, and importantly, perform better than the industry.

Taking a look back first, we see that there was hardly any revenue growth to speak of for the company over the past year. However, a few strong years before that means that it was still able to grow revenue by an impressive 50% in total over the last three years. So while the company has done a solid job in the past, it's somewhat concerning to see revenue growth decline as much as it has.

Comparing that to the industry, which is predicted to deliver 13% growth in the next 12 months, the company's momentum is pretty similar based on recent medium-term annualised revenue results.

With this information, we find it interesting that Wireless Power Amplifier Module is trading at a high P/S compared to the industry. Apparently many investors in the company are more bullish than recent times would indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock right now. Nevertheless, they may be setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/S falls to levels more in line with recent growth rates.

The Key Takeaway

Wireless Power Amplifier Module's P/S is on the rise since its shares have risen strongly. 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.

Our examination of Wireless Power Amplifier Module revealed its three-year revenue trends aren't impacting its high P/S as much as we would have predicted, given they look similar to current industry expectations. When we see average revenue with industry-like growth combined with a high P/S, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, bringing the P/S back in line with the industry too. 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 Wireless Power Amplifier Module that you should be aware of.

If you're unsure about the strength of Wireless Power Amplifier Module's business, why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals for some other companies you may have missed.

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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.