The Home Control International Limited (HKG:1747) share price has done very well over the last month, posting an excellent gain of 29%. Not all shareholders will be feeling jubilant, since the share price is still down a very disappointing 40% in the last twelve months.

Even after such a large jump in price, it's still not a stretch to say that Home Control International's price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.3x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" compared to the Consumer Durables industry in Hong Kong, where the median P/S ratio is around 0.4x. 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.

See our latest analysis for Home Control International

How Home Control International Has Been Performing

Recent times haven't been great for Home Control International as its revenue has been falling quicker than most other companies. Perhaps the market is expecting future revenue performance to begin matching the rest of the industry, which has kept the P/S from declining. If you still like the company, you'd want its revenue trajectory to turn around before making any decisions. Or at the very least, you'd be hoping it doesn't keep underperforming if your plan is to pick up some stock while it's not in favour.

Is There Some Revenue Growth Forecasted For Home Control International?

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

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 20% decrease to the company's top line. The last three years don't look nice either as the company has shrunk revenue by 25% in aggregate. Therefore, it's fair to say the revenue growth recently has been undesirable for the company.

Looking ahead now, revenue is anticipated to climb by 9.4% during the coming year according to the one analyst following the company. That's shaping up to be materially lower than the 14% growth forecast for the broader industry.

With this information, we find it interesting that Home Control International is trading at a fairly similar P/S compared to the industry. It seems most investors are ignoring the fairly limited growth expectations and are willing to pay up for exposure to the stock. These shareholders may be setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/S falls to levels more in line with the growth outlook.

What Does Home Control International's P/S Mean For Investors?

Home Control International appears to be back in favour with a solid price jump bringing its P/S back in line with other companies in the industry Using the price-to-sales ratio alone to determine if you should sell your stock isn't sensible, however it can be a practical guide to the company's future prospects.

Given that Home Control International's revenue growth projections are relatively subdued in comparison to the wider industry, it comes as a surprise to see it trading at its current P/S ratio. At present, we aren't confident in the P/S as the predicted future revenues aren't likely to support a more positive sentiment for long. Circumstances like this present a risk to current and prospective investors who may see share prices fall if the low revenue growth impacts the sentiment.

Plus, you should also learn about these 3 warning signs we've spotted with Home Control International (including 2 which are significant).

If strong companies turning a profit tickle your fancy, then you'll want to check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a low P/E (but have proven they can grow earnings).

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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.