When you see that almost half of the companies in the Auto Components industry in China have price-to-sales ratios (or "P/S") above 2.1x, Aerospace Hi-Tech Holding Group Co., Ltd. (SZSE:000901) looks to be giving off some buy signals with its 0.9x P/S ratio. Although, it's not wise to just take the P/S at face value as there may be an explanation why it's limited.

What Does Aerospace Hi-Tech Holding Group's P/S Mean For Shareholders?

The revenue growth achieved at Aerospace Hi-Tech Holding Group over the last year would be more than acceptable for most companies. Perhaps the market is expecting this acceptable revenue performance to take a dive, which has kept the P/S suppressed. If that doesn't eventuate, then existing shareholders have reason to be optimistic about the future direction of the share price.

What Are Revenue Growth Metrics Telling Us About The Low P/S?

Aerospace Hi-Tech Holding Group'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.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a decent 7.8% gain to the company's revenues. Revenue has also lifted 13% in aggregate from three years ago, partly thanks to the last 12 months of growth. Accordingly, shareholders would have probably been satisfied with the medium-term rates of revenue growth.

Comparing that to the industry, which is predicted to deliver 25% growth in the next 12 months, the company's momentum is weaker, based on recent medium-term annualised revenue results.

In light of this, it's understandable that Aerospace Hi-Tech Holding Group's P/S sits below the majority of other companies. Apparently many shareholders weren't comfortable holding on to something they believe will continue to trail the wider industry.

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.

Our examination of Aerospace Hi-Tech Holding Group confirms that the company's revenue trends over the past three-year years are a key factor in its low price-to-sales ratio, as we suspected, given they fall short of current industry expectations. Right now shareholders are accepting the low P/S as they concede future revenue probably won't provide any pleasant surprises. If recent medium-term revenue trends continue, it's hard to see the share price experience a reversal of fortunes anytime soon.

Don't forget that there may be other risks. For instance, we've identified 3 warning signs for Aerospace Hi-Tech Holding Group (1 is significant) you should be aware of.

If strong companies turning a profit tickle your fancy, then you'll want to check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a low P/E (but have proven they can grow earnings).

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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.