Jiangsu Eastern Shenghong Co.,Ltd.'s (SZSE:000301) price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.4x might make it look like a buy right now compared to the Chemicals industry in China, where around half of the companies have P/S ratios above 2x and even P/S above 4x are quite common. However, the P/S might be low for a reason and it requires further investigation to determine if it's justified.

What Does Jiangsu Eastern ShenghongLtd's Recent Performance Look Like?

Recent times have been advantageous for Jiangsu Eastern ShenghongLtd as its revenues have been rising faster than most other companies. Perhaps the market is expecting future revenue performance to dive, which has kept the P/S suppressed. If not, then existing shareholders have reason to be quite optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

Is There Any Revenue Growth Forecasted For Jiangsu Eastern ShenghongLtd?

Jiangsu Eastern ShenghongLtd's P/S ratio would be typical for a company that's only expected to deliver limited growth, and importantly, perform worse than the industry.

If we review the last year of revenue growth, the company posted a terrific increase of 48%. Pleasingly, revenue has also lifted 193% in aggregate from three years ago, thanks to the last 12 months of growth. Accordingly, shareholders would have definitely welcomed those medium-term rates of revenue growth.

Shifting to the future, estimates from the five analysts covering the company suggest revenue should grow by 6.5% over the next year. With the industry predicted to deliver 23% growth, the company is positioned for a weaker revenue result.

In light of this, it's understandable that Jiangsu Eastern ShenghongLtd's P/S sits below the majority of other companies. Apparently many shareholders weren't comfortable holding on while the company is potentially eyeing a less prosperous future.

The Key Takeaway

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.

As we suspected, our examination of Jiangsu Eastern ShenghongLtd's analyst forecasts revealed that its inferior revenue outlook is contributing to its low P/S. Right now shareholders are accepting the low P/S as they concede future revenue probably won't provide any pleasant surprises. The company will need a change of fortune to justify the P/S rising higher in the future.

You always need to take note of risks, for example - Jiangsu Eastern ShenghongLtd has 2 warning signs we think you should be aware of.

Of course, profitable companies with a history of great earnings growth are generally safer bets. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have reasonable P/E ratios and have grown earnings strongly.

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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.