Zhengye Biotechnology Holding Limited's (NASDAQ:ZYBT) 26% Price Boost Is Out Of Tune With Revenues

Those holding Zhengye Biotechnology Holding Limited (NASDAQ:ZYBT) shares would be relieved that the share price has rebounded 26% in the last thirty days, but it needs to keep going to repair the recent damage it has caused to investor portfolios. Longer-term shareholders would be thankful for the recovery in the share price since it's now virtually flat for the year after the recent bounce.

After such a large jump in price, Zhengye Biotechnology Holding's price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 12.7x might make it look like a strong sell right now compared to other companies in the Pharmaceuticals industry in the United States, where around half of the companies have P/S ratios below 4.8x and even P/S below 1.5x are quite common. However, the P/S might be quite high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

We've found 21 US stocks that are forecast to pay a dividend yield of over 6% next year. See the full list for free.

Check out our latest analysis for Zhengye Biotechnology Holding

How Zhengye Biotechnology Holding Has Been Performing

For instance, Zhengye Biotechnology Holding's receding revenue in recent times would have to be some food for thought. One possibility is that the P/S is high because investors think the company will still do enough to outperform the broader industry in the near future. However, if this isn't the case, investors might get caught out paying too much for the stock.

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

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The High P/S Ratio?

In order to justify its P/S ratio, Zhengye Biotechnology Holding would need to produce outstanding growth that's well in excess of 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 12%. The last three years don't look nice either as the company has shrunk revenue by 13% in aggregate. Therefore, it's fair to say the revenue growth recently has been undesirable for the company.

Comparing that to the industry, which is predicted to deliver 20% growth in the next 12 months, the company's downward momentum based on recent medium-term revenue results is a sobering picture.

With this in mind, we find it worrying that Zhengye Biotechnology Holding's P/S exceeds that of its industry peers. It seems most investors are ignoring the recent poor growth rate and are hoping for a turnaround in the company's business prospects. There's a very good chance existing shareholders are setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/S falls to levels more in line with the recent negative growth rates.

The Key Takeaway

Shares in Zhengye Biotechnology Holding have seen a strong upwards swing lately, which has really helped boost its P/S figure. We'd say the price-to-sales ratio's power isn't primarily as a valuation instrument but rather to gauge current investor sentiment and future expectations.

We've established that Zhengye Biotechnology Holding currently trades on a much higher than expected P/S since its recent revenues have been in decline over the medium-term. Right now we aren't comfortable with the high P/S as this revenue performance is highly unlikely to support such positive sentiment for long. If recent medium-term revenue trends continue, it will place shareholders' investments at significant risk and potential investors in danger of paying an excessive premium.

And what about other risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for Zhengye Biotechnology Holding (of which 2 make us uncomfortable!) you should know about.

If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on Zhengye Biotechnology Holding, explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there.

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.