Some Confidence Is Lacking In Khong Guan Limited's (SGX:K03) P/S

With a median price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of close to 0.3x in the Consumer Retailing industry in Singapore, you could be forgiven for feeling indifferent about Khong Guan Limited's (SGX:K03) P/S ratio of 0.4x. However, investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/S.

See our latest analysis for Khong Guan

What Does Khong Guan's P/S Mean For Shareholders?

For instance, Khong Guan's receding revenue in recent times would have to be some food for thought. Perhaps investors believe the recent revenue performance is enough to keep in line with the industry, which is keeping the P/S from dropping off. 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 Khong Guan's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

How Is Khong Guan's Revenue Growth Trending?

Khong Guan's P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's only expected to deliver moderate growth, and importantly, perform in line with the industry.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 2.7% decrease to the company's top line. This has soured the latest three-year period, which nevertheless managed to deliver a decent 13% overall rise in revenue. Accordingly, while they would have preferred to keep the run going, shareholders would be roughly satisfied with the medium-term rates of revenue growth.

This is in contrast to the rest of the industry, which is expected to grow by 12% over the next year, materially higher than the company's recent medium-term annualised growth rates.

With this information, we find it interesting that Khong Guan is trading at a fairly similar P/S compared to the industry. Apparently many investors in the company are less bearish than recent times would indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock right now. Maintaining these prices will be difficult to achieve as a continuation of recent revenue trends is likely to weigh down the shares eventually.

What We Can Learn From Khong Guan's P/S?

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.

We've established that Khong Guan's average P/S is a bit surprising since its recent three-year growth is lower than the wider industry forecast. When we see weak revenue with slower than industry growth, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, bringing the P/S back in line with expectations. If recent medium-term revenue trends continue, the probability of a share price decline will become quite substantial, placing shareholders at risk.

Don't forget that there may be other risks. For instance, we've identified 3 warning signs for Khong Guan (2 are potentially serious) you should be aware of.

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

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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.