Henan Huanghe Whirlwind Co., Ltd. (SHSE:600172) shareholders are no doubt pleased to see that the share price has bounced 35% in the last month, although it is still struggling to make up recently lost ground. Not all shareholders will be feeling jubilant, since the share price is still down a very disappointing 46% in the last twelve months.

In spite of the firm bounce in price, you could still be forgiven for feeling indifferent about Henan Huanghe Whirlwind's P/S ratio of 2.2x, since the median price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio for the Machinery industry in China is also close to 2.7x. 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.

What Does Henan Huanghe Whirlwind's P/S Mean For Shareholders?

For instance, Henan Huanghe Whirlwind's receding revenue in recent times would have to be some food for thought. One possibility is that the P/S is moderate because investors think the company might still do enough to be in line with the broader industry in the near future. 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.

How Is Henan Huanghe Whirlwind's Revenue Growth Trending?

There's an inherent assumption that a company should be matching the industry for P/S ratios like Henan Huanghe Whirlwind's to be considered reasonable.

Retrospectively, the last year delivered a frustrating 20% decrease to the company's top line. As a result, revenue from three years ago have also fallen 20% overall. So unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that the company has not done a great job of growing revenue over that time.

Comparing that to the industry, which is predicted to deliver 27% growth in the next 12 months, the company's downward momentum based on recent medium-term revenue results is a sobering picture.

With this in mind, we find it worrying that Henan Huanghe Whirlwind's P/S exceeds that of its industry peers. 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. 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 Final Word

Henan Huanghe Whirlwind 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 find it unexpected that Henan Huanghe Whirlwind trades at a P/S ratio that is comparable to the rest of the industry, despite experiencing declining revenues during the medium-term, while the industry as a whole is expected 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.

Many other vital risk factors can be found on the company's balance sheet. Take a look at our free balance sheet analysis for Henan Huanghe Whirlwind with six simple checks on some of these key factors.

If you're unsure about the strength of Henan Huanghe Whirlwind's business, why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals for some other companies you may have missed.

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