Some Confidence Is Lacking In Synagistics Limited (HKG:2562) As Shares Slide 29%

To the annoyance of some shareholders, Synagistics Limited (HKG:2562) shares are down a considerable 29% in the last month, which continues a horrid run for the company. Still, a bad month hasn't completely ruined the past year with the stock gaining 86%, which is great even in a bull market.

Although its price has dipped substantially, you could still be forgiven for thinking Synagistics is a stock to steer clear of with a price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") of 9.5x, considering almost half the companies in Hong Kong's Software industry have P/S ratios below 2x. However, the P/S might be quite high for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

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Check out our latest analysis for Synagistics

What Does Synagistics' P/S Mean For Shareholders?

For instance, Synagistics' receding revenue in recent times would have to be some food for thought. Perhaps the market believes the company can do enough to outperform the rest of the industry in the near future, which is keeping the P/S ratio high. You'd really hope so, otherwise you're paying a pretty hefty price for no particular reason.

Do Revenue Forecasts Match The High P/S Ratio?

Synagistics' P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's expected to deliver very strong growth, and importantly, perform much better than the industry.

In reviewing the last year of financials, we were disheartened to see the company's revenues fell to the tune of 20%. This has soured the latest three-year period, which nevertheless managed to deliver a decent 19% overall rise in revenue. Accordingly, while they would have preferred to keep the run going, shareholders would be roughly satisfied with the medium-term rates of revenue growth.

Comparing the recent medium-term revenue trends against the industry's one-year growth forecast of 28% shows it's noticeably less attractive.

With this information, we find it concerning that Synagistics is trading at a P/S higher than the industry. It seems most investors are ignoring the fairly limited recent growth rates 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 heavily on the share price eventually.

The Key Takeaway

Synagistics' shares may have suffered, but its P/S remains high. 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 Synagistics currently trades on a higher P/S relative to the industry is an oddity, since its recent three-year growth is lower than the wider industry forecast. When we observe slower-than-industry revenue growth alongside a high P/S ratio, we assume there to be a significant risk of the share price decreasing, which would result in a lower P/S ratio. Unless there is a significant improvement in the company's medium-term performance, it will be difficult to prevent the P/S ratio from declining to a more reasonable level.

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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.