Optimistic Investors Push EDIMAX Technology Co., Ltd. (TWSE:3047) Shares Up 27% But Growth Is Lacking

Despite an already strong run, EDIMAX Technology Co., Ltd. (TWSE:3047) shares have been powering on, with a gain of 27% in the last thirty days. The annual gain comes to 167% following the latest surge, making investors sit up and take notice.

Even after such a large jump in price, it's still not a stretch to say that EDIMAX Technology's price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 1.8x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" compared to the Communications industry in Taiwan, where the median P/S ratio is around 2.1x. 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.

View our latest analysis for EDIMAX Technology

How Has EDIMAX Technology Performed Recently?

As an illustration, revenue has deteriorated at EDIMAX Technology over the last year, which is not ideal at all. 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 not, then existing shareholders may be a little nervous about the viability of the share price.

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 EDIMAX Technology's earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Is There Some Revenue Growth Forecasted For EDIMAX Technology?

The only time you'd be comfortable seeing a P/S like EDIMAX Technology's is when the company's growth is tracking the industry closely.

In reviewing the last year of financials, we were disheartened to see the company's revenues fell to the tune of 2.8%. As a result, revenue from three years ago have also fallen 15% overall. Accordingly, shareholders would have felt downbeat about the medium-term rates of revenue growth.

In contrast to the company, the rest of the industry is expected to grow by 18% over the next year, which really puts the company's recent medium-term revenue decline into perspective.

With this information, we find it concerning that EDIMAX Technology is trading at a fairly similar P/S compared to the industry. It seems most investors are ignoring the recent poor growth rate and are hoping for a turnaround in the company's business prospects. 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

EDIMAX Technology appears to be back in favour with a solid price jump bringing its P/S back in line with other companies in 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 EDIMAX Technology 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. When we see revenue heading backwards in the context of growing industry forecasts, it'd make sense to expect a possible share price decline on the horizon, sending the moderate P/S lower. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve markedly, investors will have a hard time accepting the share price as fair value.

You should always think about risks. Case in point, we've spotted 3 warning signs for EDIMAX Technology you should be aware of, and 2 of them don't sit too well with us.

If you're unsure about the strength of EDIMAX Technology'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.