To the annoyance of some shareholders, Le Saunda Holdings Limited (HKG:738) shares are down a considerable 26% in the last month, which continues a horrid run for the company. Instead of being rewarded, shareholders who have already held through the last twelve months are now sitting on a 35% share price drop.
In spite of the heavy fall in price, you could still be forgiven for feeling indifferent about Le Saunda Holdings' P/S ratio of 0.5x, since the median price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio for the Luxury industry in Hong Kong is also close to 0.7x. However, investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/S.
How Le Saunda Holdings Has Been Performing
For instance, Le Saunda Holdings' receding revenue in recent times would have to be some food for thought. 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.
We don't have analyst forecasts, but you can see how recent trends are setting up the company for the future by checking out our free report on Le Saunda Holdings' earnings, revenue and cash flow.
Do Revenue Forecasts Match The P/S Ratio?
Le Saunda Holdings' P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's only expected to deliver moderate growth, and importantly, perform in line with the industry.
In reviewing the last year of financials, we were disheartened to see the company's revenues fell to the tune of 15%. As a result, revenue from three years ago have also fallen 44% overall. So unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that the company has not done a great job of growing revenue over that time.
In contrast to the company, the rest of the industry is expected to grow by 13% over the next year, which really puts the company's recent medium-term revenue decline into perspective.
With this information, we find it concerning that Le Saunda Holdings is trading at a fairly similar P/S compared to the industry. Apparently many investors in the company are way less bearish than recent times would indicate and aren't willing to let go of their stock right now. There's a 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 Bottom Line On Le Saunda Holdings' P/S
Following Le Saunda Holdings' share price tumble, its P/S is just clinging on to the industry median P/S. While the price-to-sales ratio shouldn't be the defining factor in whether you buy a stock or not, it's quite a capable barometer of revenue expectations.
Our look at Le Saunda Holdings revealed its shrinking revenues over the medium-term haven't impacted the P/S as much as we anticipated, given 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.
You should always think about risks. Case in point, we've spotted 2 warning signs for Le Saunda Holdings you should be aware of, and 1 of them doesn't sit too well with us.
If these risks are making you reconsider your opinion on Le Saunda Holdings, explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there.
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