There's No Escaping EDIMAX Technology Co., Ltd.'s (TWSE:3047) Muted Revenues Despite A 70% Share Price Rise

EDIMAX Technology Co., Ltd. (TWSE:3047) shares have had a really impressive month, gaining 70% after a shaky period beforehand. Looking back a bit further, it's encouraging to see the stock is up 49% in the last year.

Even after such a large jump in price, EDIMAX Technology's price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 1.3x might still make it look like a buy right now compared to the Communications industry in Taiwan, where around half of the companies have P/S ratios above 2.3x and even P/S above 6x are quite common. Nonetheless, we'd need to dig a little deeper to determine if there is a rational basis for the reduced P/S.

Check out our latest analysis for EDIMAX Technology

How EDIMAX Technology Has Been Performing

For instance, EDIMAX Technology's receding revenue in recent times would have to be some food for thought. Perhaps the market believes the recent revenue performance isn't good enough to keep up the industry, causing the P/S ratio to suffer. Those who are bullish on EDIMAX Technology will be hoping that this isn't the case so that they can pick up the stock at a lower valuation.

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.

What Are Revenue Growth Metrics Telling Us About The Low P/S?

In order to justify its P/S ratio, EDIMAX Technology would need to produce sluggish growth that's trailing the industry.

Taking a look back first, the company's revenue growth last year wasn't something to get excited about as it posted a disappointing decline of 29%. The last three years don't look nice either as the company has shrunk revenue by 35% in aggregate. Therefore, it's fair to say the revenue growth recently has been undesirable for the company.

Weighing that medium-term revenue trajectory against the broader industry's one-year forecast for expansion of 13% shows it's an unpleasant look.

With this information, we are not surprised that EDIMAX Technology is trading at a P/S lower than the industry. Nonetheless, there's no guarantee the P/S has reached a floor yet with revenue going in reverse. Even just maintaining these prices could be difficult to achieve as recent revenue trends are already weighing down the shares.

The Bottom Line On EDIMAX Technology's P/S

The latest share price surge wasn't enough to lift EDIMAX Technology's P/S close to the industry median. 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 EDIMAX Technology confirms that the company's shrinking revenue over the past medium-term is a key factor in its low price-to-sales ratio, given the industry is projected to grow. Right now shareholders are accepting the low P/S as they concede future revenue probably won't provide any pleasant surprises either. Given the current circumstances, it seems unlikely that the share price will experience any significant movement in either direction in the near future if recent medium-term revenue trends persist.

It is also worth noting that we have found 4 warning signs for EDIMAX Technology (2 are a bit concerning!) that you need to take into consideration.

It's important to make sure you look for a great company, not just the first idea you come across. So if growing profitability aligns with your idea of a great company, take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and a low P/E).

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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.