What Compal Broadband Networks, Inc.'s (TWSE:6674) 29% Share Price Gain Is Not Telling You

The Compal Broadband Networks, Inc. (TWSE:6674) share price has done very well over the last month, posting an excellent gain of 29%. Taking a wider view, although not as strong as the last month, the full year gain of 20% is also fairly reasonable.

Although its price has surged higher, you could still be forgiven for feeling indifferent about Compal Broadband Networks' P/S ratio of 2.1x, since the median price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio for the Communications industry in Taiwan is also close to 2.4x. 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.

Check out our latest analysis for Compal Broadband Networks

How Compal Broadband Networks Has Been Performing

As an illustration, revenue has deteriorated at Compal Broadband Networks over the last year, which is not ideal at all. It might be that many expect the company to put the disappointing revenue performance behind them over the coming period, which has kept the P/S from falling. 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.

Want the full picture on earnings, revenue and cash flow for the company? Then our free report on Compal Broadband Networks will help you shine a light on its historical performance.

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

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

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 23%. The last three years don't look nice either as the company has shrunk revenue by 66% 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 20% shows it's an unpleasant look.

In light of this, it's somewhat alarming that Compal Broadband Networks' P/S sits in line with the majority of other companies. 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 Bottom Line On Compal Broadband Networks' P/S

Compal Broadband Networks' stock has a lot of momentum behind it lately, which has brought its P/S level with 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 Compal Broadband Networks 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. Unless the recent medium-term conditions improve markedly, investors will have a hard time accepting the share price as fair value.

Having said that, be aware Compal Broadband Networks is showing 2 warning signs in our investment analysis, and 1 of those doesn't sit too well with us.

Of course, profitable companies with a history of great earnings growth are generally safer bets. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have reasonable P/E ratios and have grown earnings strongly.

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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.