KPM Holding Limited (HKG:8027) shareholders have had their patience rewarded with a 52% share price jump in the last month. The last 30 days bring the annual gain to a very sharp 70%.
Although its price has surged higher, you could still be forgiven for feeling indifferent about KPM Holding's P/S ratio of 0.6x, since the median price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio for the Commercial Services industry in Hong Kong is also close to 0.5x. 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.
Check out our latest analysis for KPM Holding
What Does KPM Holding's Recent Performance Look Like?
The revenue growth achieved at KPM Holding over the last year would be more than acceptable for most companies. Perhaps the market is expecting future revenue performance to only keep up with the broader industry, which has keeping the P/S in line with expectations. Those who are bullish on KPM Holding will be hoping that this isn't the case, so that they can pick up the stock at a lower valuation.
How Is KPM Holding's Revenue Growth Trending?
There's an inherent assumption that a company should be matching the industry for P/S ratios like KPM Holding's to be considered reasonable.
Retrospectively, the last year delivered an exceptional 19% gain to the company's top line. Pleasingly, revenue has also lifted 276% 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.
When compared to the industry's one-year growth forecast of 15%, the most recent medium-term revenue trajectory is noticeably more alluring
With this information, we find it interesting that KPM Holding is trading at a fairly similar P/S compared to the industry. Apparently some shareholders believe the recent performance is at its limits and have been accepting lower selling prices.
The Bottom Line On KPM Holding's P/S
KPM Holding appears to be back in favour with a solid price jump bringing its P/S back in line with other companies in the industry It's argued the price-to-sales ratio is an inferior measure of value within certain industries, but it can be a powerful business sentiment indicator.
We didn't quite envision KPM Holding's P/S sitting in line with the wider industry, considering the revenue growth over the last three-year is higher than the current industry outlook. When we see strong revenue with faster-than-industry growth, we can only assume potential risks are what might be placing pressure on the P/S ratio. It appears some are indeed anticipating revenue instability, because the persistence of these recent medium-term conditions would normally provide a boost to the share price.
It's always necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 2 warning signs with KPM Holding (at least 1 which is significant), and understanding them should be part of your investment process.
If you're unsure about the strength of KPM Holding's business, why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals for some other companies you may have missed.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
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.
