Revenues Not Telling The Story For Ling Yui Holdings Limited (HKG:784) After Shares Rise 113%

Ling Yui Holdings Limited (HKG:784) shares have continued their recent momentum with a 113% gain in the last month alone. The last month tops off a massive increase of 154% in the last year.

In spite of the firm bounce in price, it's still not a stretch to say that Ling Yui Holdings' price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.6x right now seems quite "middle-of-the-road" compared to the Construction industry in Hong Kong, where the median P/S ratio is around 0.4x. However, investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/S.

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Check out our latest analysis for Ling Yui Holdings

How Has Ling Yui Holdings Performed Recently?

The revenue growth achieved at Ling Yui Holdings over the last year would be more than acceptable for most companies. It might be that many expect the respectable revenue performance to wane, which has kept the P/S from rising. Those who are bullish on Ling Yui Holdings will be hoping that this isn't the case, so that they can pick up the stock at a lower valuation.

Is There Some Revenue Growth Forecasted For Ling Yui Holdings?

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

Taking a look back first, we see that the company managed to grow revenues by a handy 11% last year. However, this wasn't enough as the latest three year period has seen an unpleasant 38% overall drop in revenue. 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 18% growth in the next 12 months, the company's downward momentum based on recent medium-term revenue results is a sobering picture.

In light of this, it's somewhat alarming that Ling Yui Holdings' 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 Key Takeaway

Ling Yui Holdings' stock has a lot of momentum behind it lately, which has brought its P/S level with the rest of the industry. Generally, our preference is to limit the use of the price-to-sales ratio to establishing what the market thinks about the overall health of a company.

The fact that Ling Yui Holdings 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 the circumstances surrounding the recent medium-term improve, it wouldn't be wrong to expect a a difficult period ahead for the company's shareholders.

Having said that, be aware Ling Yui Holdings is showing 3 warning signs in our investment analysis, and 2 of those are a bit concerning.

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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.